LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Chap. Copyright No..__ 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



PRACTICAL 

ELEMENTS OF ELOCUTION. 

DESIGNED AS A TEXT-BOOK FOR THE GUIDANCE OF 

TEACHERS AND STUDENTS OF EXPRESSION, 

V BY 

ROBERT I^FULTON, A.M., 

PROFESSOR OF ELOCUTION AND ORATORY IN THE OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY 

AND LECTURER ON ELOCUTION AND ORATORY IN THE 

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY ; 

THOMAS C. TRUEBLOOD, A.M., 

PROFESSOR OF ELOCUTION AND ORATORY IN THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN ', 
WITH AN 

APPENDIX 

ON 

TRUTH, PERSONALITY, AND ART IN ORATORY, 

BY 

JAMES W. BASHFORD, B.D., PH.D., 

PRESIDENT OF THE OHIO WESLEYAN UNI 




BOSTON, U.S.A. 

GINN & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS. 

1896 



Trt+ iH 



Copyright, 1893, 
By R. I. FULTON & T. C. TRUEBLOOD, 



ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 



GINN & COMPANY, BOSTON, U.S.A. 



\ 



IN 

GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE 

OF 

Mr. JAMES E. MURDOCH, 

THE DISTINGUISHED ACTOR, AUTHOR, AND ELOCUTIONIST, WHOSE 

LIFE AND WORK HAVE BEEN AN ABIDING 

SOURCE OF INSPIRATION 

TO US, 

THIS VOLUME 

is dedicated by his pupils, 

The Authors. 



PREFACE. 



If an apology were necessary for the appearance of this 
book among so many of its kind it should not have been 
published. We know that it will find its proper place in 
public favor or disapproval. We ask for it, however, a 
careful examination, an honest trial, and a candid judg- 
ment upon its merits. This evident departure from pre- 
vious methods of treatment has made our task a difficult 
one, and we invite kindly criticism and suggestion for 
future editions. 

Following the trend of thought so recently crystallized 
in the organization of the National Association of Elocu- 
tionists, we have endeavored to harmonize the so-called 
systems of Elocution. In all we have found valuable 
truths which must have a common basis and should meet 
on common ground. While this volume is a recall to the 
old truths recorded by Engel, Austin, and Dr. Rush, it 
presents them in the newer garb and more recent phil- 
osophy of Mantegazza and Delsarte. The student of 
to-day is not satisfied with the mere statement of facts, 
he seeks the underlying principles or laws governing a 
world of facts. 

We have endeavored not only to trace each element 
back to nature, after the manner of Dr. Rush, but to 
show its response, in expression, to man's Mental, Emo- 



VI PREFACE. 

tive, and Vital natures. So far as we know, there has 
been no published attempt to harmonize all the vocal 
Elements of Dr. Rush's Philosophy with the triune theory 
of Delsarte ; nor have we essayed the task without a free 
use of the scalpel ; but if, happily, we have succeeded, 
we shall entertain the hope that this volume will add 
greater interest to the study of Elocution and inspire a 
more enduring confidence in its practicability. 

We have endeavored to be suggestive rather than ex- 
haustive. Each generic element or subject is treated as 
a whole and not in a set form of prescribed lessons ; so 
that any teacher may give them in the order best suited 
to his own individual methods. Nor is this a book of 
selections. The quotations are from standard literature 
and are given purely as illustrative matter ; apart from 
those that are taken from Shakespeare, the selections 
entire may be found, for the most part, in our published 
compilation of Choice Readings. 

We have also attempted to present the subject in a 
sufficiently logical and scientific manner to justify the 
recognition Elocution is now receiving in the High-School, 
College, and University curricula, not only as a means of 
acquiring the art of expression, but as a study worthy 
consideration in the scheme of mental development. 

Perhaps we should say further that this book is the 
outgrowth of fifteen years' study and experience, and it 
has been prepared with the most careful collaboration on 
our part, and under the closest criticism of many of the 
leading members of our profession. It would seem invidi- 
ous to name here a few, and impractical to name all of 






PREFACE. VII 

the teachers and students who have aided us by suggestion 
and approval ; or to record the books whose pages we have 
most frequently searched. We believe we have given due 
credit in the body of the book, to all authorities ; while 
that larger fund of knowledge which has become common 
property, we have tested in the crucible of experience, 
adapted to our own plan and expressed in our own 
language. 

We wish, however, to make acknowledgment of the 
valued assistance of a layman, Professor Edwin G. Conklin, 
Ph.D., whose criticisms from a scientific standpoint have 
guided us at times into a more philosophic treatment. 
Nor would we be unmindful of the friendly arbitration 
rendered by Mr. Edwin P. Trueblood, A.M., at the time 
our own earnest discussions led to a clearer arrangement 
of the first outlines of the book. 

Finally we would assure the reader that we have written 
out of the depths of a full conviction and with a sincere 
desire to advance the science and art of expression ; and 
if these pages stimulate deeper thought and investigation, 
our labors have not been in vain. 

THE AUTHORS. 
August 16, 1893. 




CONTENTS. 



Page 

Preface v 

Introduction i 

PART I. 

THE PSYCHIC BEING; VOICE; PRONUNCIATION; EMPHASIS. 

Chapter I. — Man's Triune Nature 8 

II. — The Vocal Apparatus 14 

III. — Respiration 27 

IV. — Cultivation of the Voice 37 

V. — Pronunciation 42 

VI. — Emphasis 71 

PART II. 
the elements of vocal expression. 

Harmony of Rush and Delsarte 85 

Chapter I. — Quality 89 

Section I. — Normal 92 

II. — Orotund 94 

III. — Oral 97 

IV. — Aspirate 99 

V. — Guttural 101 

VI. — Pectoral 104 

VII. — Nasal 107 

VIII. — Falsetto 109 

Chapter II. — Force 113 

Section I. — Form 114 

II. — Degree 147 

III. — Stress 162 



x CONTENTS. 

Page 

Chapter III. — Pitch 185 

Section I. — Degree 191 

II. — Change 203 

III. — Melody 253 

Chapter IV. — Time 280 

Section I. — Quantity 281 

II. — Pause 292 

III. — Movement 307 

PART III. 
the elements of action. 

Introduction 335 

Chapter I. — Cultivation of the Body 349 

Section I. — Physical Education 349 

II. — ^Esthetic Physical Culture 351 

Chapter II. — Principles of Action 362 

Section I. — Zones, Positions and Attitudes of the Body 363 

II. — Inflections of the Body 400 

Chapter III. — Technique of Action 408 

Section I. — Positions 408 

II. — Attitudes 410 

III. — Gestures 412 

APPENDIX. 

ORATORY. 

Introduction 421 

Chapter I. — Art 431 

II. — Truth 440 

III. — Personality 447 

Conclusion 450 

OUTLINE OF THE BOOK 451 



INTRODUCTION. 



I. — RELATION OF SCIENCE TO ART. 

Elocution is the science and art of expression by voice 
and action. As an art it deals with the correct outward 
expression of thought and feeling ; as a science it discovers 
and classifies the principles which govern such expression. 
It is not an exact science but a liberal one through which 
the highest excellence in the art is attained. This will 
account for the fact that our finest speakers are not alike 
in their modes of delivery, though the main principles exist 
the same in all. 

It is the purpose of Elocution to develop individuality, to 
correct bad habits of speech and gesture, and to make the 
body a fit instrument to serve the mind and soul. 

As in the fine arts, sculpture, painting and music, no one 
need hope to gain eminence without some native aptitude, 
so in the art of spoken language few gain distinction, yet it 
is in the province of all with due practice to become at least 
tolerable readers and speakers. It is by judicious appli- 
cation of the natural laws of expression that one may go 
beyond the point of mere accidental success, and may gain 
positive and permanent power in commanding the interest 
and attention of his hearers. 

Ruskin says with reference to painting that " all fatal 
faults in art that might have been otherwise good, arise 
from one or other of these three things : either from the 
pretense to feel what we do not ; the indolence in exercises 
necessary to obtain the power of expressing truth ; or the 



2 INTRODUCTION. 

presumptuous insistance upon, and indulgence in our own 
powers and delights and with no care or wish that they be 
useful to others, so only they be admired by them." 

This very just criticism upon painting may well be applied 
to reading as a fine art, and to public speaking. The 
principal element of success of any one in either pursuit 
is sincerity and truth. He must learn to feel and then to 
reproduce that state in the minds of others. He must be 
fervent without being extravagant and exercise a discretion 
that will " overstep not the modesty of nature." 

The second fault referred to by Ruskin is the indis- 
position to exercise sufficiently in the principles of the art. 
All arts have their technicalities which if mastered repay 
the diligence and attention bestowed upon them. There are 
some who at first give decided promise of success that are 
distanced by others of less apparent genius but of more 
industry. Such persons have fallen victims to overvaluation 
of their own powers. The soil and seed were good but the 
young plant was not cultivated. 

The third fault named by Ruskin, that of self-admiration 
or love of exhibition, is probably the most common. This 
comes from a disposition to substitute sound for sense, 
emotion for truth ; from the habit of displaying tone and 
gesture for their own sake rather than for the truth they 
should make forcible. 

Legouve says there are some people "whose wealth of 
voice is an embarrassment to them. They cannot enun- 
ciate ; sound swallows up their words ; vowels devour 
consonants, and they talk and read so loud, make so much 
noise about it that no one can understand them." On the 
other hand there is a disposition to be over-exact in matters 
of detail ; for example, in articulation or intonation, which 
calls attention to the manner before the thought. Any such 
methods are radically wrong and should be corrected. This 
is the abuse rather than the proper use of power ; and there 



INTRODUCTION. 



is no more necessity for the display of tone and action than 
for any other form of pedantry. 

The highest art impresses itself without being 
remarked. Just as attention to critical processes in written 
discourse will retard for a time easy thought and composi- 
tion, so will attention to the details of elocutionary drills 
temporarily impede naturalness, and the student becomes 
self-conscious. But when these principles become a part of 
his being he comes back to nature again refined by the 
process. The principles or science of an art though severe 
and a temporary hindrance, after a while become our own 
involuntary means of success, for having thoroughly learned 
them we become unconscious of them. 

In the words of Prof. Genung, "Art at its highest and 
nature at its truest are one. The result appears ideally free 
from pain and effort ; this, however, not because art is not 
present but because the art is so perfect as to have con- 
cealed its process." Chancellor W. H. Payne of Nashville 
University says : "Science consists of knowing, art in doing; 
the pri?iciples which art involves science evolves. The direct 
route to the perfecting of an art is through a clear compre- 
hension of the principles that are involved in the art." 
The following diagram may serve to make clearer this 
distinction : — 



Inception 
of Study 




Maturity 
of Study. 



This is designed to show that in the first study of the 
principles of an art there is little that is artistic in expression 
because of the consciousness of applying principles. But 
with progress in study, science becomes less obtrusive and 



4 INTRODUCTION. 

its application more artistic. It also shows that in the 
inception of study there is some art, and in the maturity- 
some science, present, but the one gradually but surely 
supersedes the other. 

II. — RELATION TO KINDRED SCIENCES. 

Of the sciences that deal with language and the utter- 
ance of language, it may be said of their comparative 
relation that 

I. Grammar has to do with the form of the word and 
its relation to and dependence upon other words of the 
context. It deals neit'her with the sense, the economy, 
nor yet with the utterance of language, but with the inter- 
dependence of words. 

II. Rhetoric has to do with the economical arrangement 
of the words of discourse or the style ; Elocution with the 
right exercise of the organs of the body in communicating 
thought and feeling. Rhetoric deals with written language, 
Elocution with spoken language. A rhetorician is not 
necessarily an effective speaker, neither are all effective 
speakers rhetoricians. An orator, however, must be both. 

III. Logic looks to the laws of thought, to the sense of 
what is said rather than to the manner of speaking, and to 
the principles of reasoning which enable men to avoid error. 
According to Jevons it enables us " to calculate the results 
of actions, and to discover the means of doing things 
which seemed impossible." 

IV. Psychology or the science of the mind, is intimately 
connected with the right exercise of the bodily organs of the 
public speaker. A knowledge of the workings of the mind 
and its effects upon the body is necessary to correct out- 
ward expression. These various states must be understood 
before the speaker can best command the interest and atten- 
tion of an audience. 



INTRODUCTION. 5 

V. Esthetics, or the science of the beautiful, has a direct 
effect upon utterance, not only upon the language itself, but 
upon the coloring given it. This coloring is sometimes 
termed word-painting, and may mean two things, — either 
the vivid mental picture of a thing, or the coloring of the 
words themselves — a process generally known as tone-color. 

III. — IMPORTANCE OF THE SUBJECT. 

The value of the study of spoken language can scarcely 
be overrated. The human voice is a great power among 
men. It is human nature to want to hear truth presented 
in the most interesting and, if may be, the most vivid man- 
ner; and although the daily papers have become the medium 
of conveying to the masses current news and general infor- 
mation, it is still the province of the public speaker to con- 
vince men and move them to action. This can be done through 
the living voice and manner, by which only, says Humboldt, 
" the speaker is able to breathe, as it were, his own soul 
into the souls of his hearers." 

Another and not less interesting use to which the vocal 
powers may be put, and which is a source of public instruc- 
tion and pleasure is the interpretation, by means of good 
reading, of the masterpieces of literature. This need not be 
confined to the demands of the general public for entertain- 
ment. What higher or purer gratification can there be in 
the home or social circle than the artistic reading of some 
beautiful piece of literature? This exercise is not only 
profitable to the listener but more so to the reader, for he 
cannot give an intelligent interpretation of language without 
first understanding it himself. 

Then far more desirable than either of the points men- 
tioned, because it is universal, is vocal acco7?iplishvicnt in 
conversation. There is no one who is not pleased with a 
voice of pure vocality, of good Melody, of discriminating 



6 INTRODUCTION. 

tone-color, and of other elements that add to pleasing vocal 
effects. 

Let us see how in a public or professional way the culti- 
vated voice and manner are a source of great power and 
profit to the possessor. Suppose one has an important 
case to be decided in the courts — one in which vast 
property interests or even lives are at stake, and let us 
suppose that in looking for an advocate he happens to come 
into a court room where two lawyers are arguing a case. 
Let these two men be of equal general scholarship and legal 
knowledge ; the one easy and self-possessed in his manner, 
business-like in his choice of words, possessed of a good, 
well modulated voice, and apparently natural, forcible and 
eloquent utterance ; the other awkward in his movements, 
indistinct, and hesitating in his utterance, indiscriminating 
in Emphasis, and possessed of a harsh voice and a weari- 
some drawl ; is there any question as to which of the two 
would be selected to conduct the case ? 

The saying is as old as Quintilian that a poor discourse 
well delivered will have a better effect than a good discourse 
poorly delivered ; and that one who has a good discourse 
and a good delivery has everything in his favor. 

Emerson even goes so far as to say : " What is said is the 
least part of an oration. It is the attitude taken, the 
unmistakable sign, never so casually given, in tone of voice, 
or manner, or word, that a greater spirit speaks from you 
than is spoken to in him." 

Beecher says of the cultivated voice that it "is like an 
orchestra. It ranges high, intermediate, or low uncon- 
sciously to him who uses it, and men listen quite unaware 
that they have been bewitched out of their weariness by the 
charms of a voice not artificial but made by assiduous train- 
ing to be his second nature." 



INTRODUCTION. 



IV. — DIVISIONS. 

PART I. 

Man's Triune Nature; The Voice as an Instrument 

Respiration ; Vocal Culture ; Pronunciation ; 

and Emphasis. 

PART II. 
The Elements of Vocal Expression. 

PART III. 
The Elements of Action. 

APPENDIX. 

Truth, Personality, and Art in Oratory. 



PART I. 



Under this division of our subject we will study man as 
a Psychic Being seeking expression through the laws of 
Elocution ; the Mechanism of the Human Voice as an instru- 
ment of expression, Respiration, and Vocal Culture; the 
Phonetic values of sounds and syllables in Pronunciation; 
and the Emphasis of words which embody the ideas of 
language. A discussion of these topics will dispose of 
much valuable matter which is inseparably connected with 
expression, but which cannot be treated as Elements of 
Elocution. 

CHAPTER I.— MAN'S TRIUNE NATURE. 

I. THE PSYCHIC UNITY. 

The object of Elocution is to help the student to give a 
correct outward manifestation of his inward consciousness, 
or, in other words, to express that which has been im- 
pressed. An analysis of this inward consciousness — this 
Psychic Being as a Unity — reveals the threefold division ; 
I. The Vital Nature, II. The Mental Nature, and III. The 
Emotive 1 Nature. Presiding over these three natures are 
Life, Mind, and Soul, respectively. The word life in this 

1 It will be observed that instead of the word Moral ascribed to 
Delsarte we have used the broader and less confusing term Emotive 
first used in this sense by that discriminating philosopher, Professor 
Moses True Brown, of Boston. In the discussions which follow it will 
be seen that Moral is given as a specific division cf the generic, Emotive. 



man's triune nature. 9 

sense means the "physical manifestations" Let us briefly 
consider each of these divisions. 

i. The Vital Nature. "Man as a Psychic Being is 
Vital, Sensitive, Instinctive. Through this part of his Being 
he exhibits the phenomena of life" and reveals the various 
manifestations of his physical organism. That organism is 
made up of bone, muscle, sinews, nerves, the brain and 
other organs, all of which are susceptible alike to the 
buoyant thrills of healthful living and to the aches and 
pains "that flesh is heir to." It is the seat of the appetites, 
the dwelling-place of the mind, and the temple of the soul ; 
in obedience to each it acts and gives forth that tone or 
look or gesture or attitude which reveals the psychic state. 

2. The Mental Nature. In his " Synthetic Philosophy 
of Expression," Professor Brown says: "Man is Mental, 
Intellectual, Reflective Through this part of his Being he 
exhibits the phenomena of Mind. He thinks, and compares 
his thoughts with things. He perceives, and recalls what he 
has perceived, and projects pictures of what he has seen. 
He reasons, and links his reasonings into propositions. He 
is the only being on earth who uses the syllogism. Through 
the faculties of mind man attains to all knowledge. They 
are the instruments with which he constructs his science, 
art and literature." 

3. The Emotive Nature. " Man is Emotional, Passional, 
Ethical, Spiritual. Through this part of his Being he ex- 
hibits the phenomena of Emotions. He loves and hates; 
is sympathetic and affectionate, or bears antipathy and 
enmity. He is benevolent or malevolent. He is loyal or 
disloyal to his concepts of truth and duty. He worships 
and is spiritual. His adoration may even reach mysticism." 

II. THE PSYCHIC PENTARCHY. 

We have taken the liberty to reconstruct Professor 
Brown's diagram, and adapting it to man as a Psychic 



IO PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Being rather than to all sentient life as " an energy cen~ 
tered in nerve substance," we here present a pentarchy 
for each of the three natures as follows : — 

^--Rational 

^''' ^.---Imaginative 

'II. Mental *^z~ -MemoratLve 

/ ^^ ~"~ ---Perceptive 

/ ,>Lns.tinctive 

/ ^'" __..---' Sentient 

MAN^' 1. Vital.-^—; Material 

(as a Psychicv """■vT""""---... 

Being) \ ^„ -Sensitive 

\ ~>Affectional, Passional 

\ 

\ „-' ^^--Self-preservative 

» III. Emotive. "^~- Social 

"*-»„ ~~~-Moral 

^Spiritual 



Consistent with the evolution of life, and also with modern 
psychological thought, the Emotive should be placed between 
the Mental and the Vital ; but the above is the only arrange- 
ment which will give Instinct and Affection or Passion as 
pivotal points in the scale. That these are pivotal points will 
be shown in the discussion which follows. To explain briefly, 
Man is a Material body and of that nature which scientists 
call Sensitive. At birth he is the most helpless of the 
higher animals; yet in this creation of "organized possibili- 
ties " are the hidden elements of superiority over all other 
animals ; he represents the Vital nature with the Mental and 
Emotive embryonic. He does not think, or love, or hate; 
he simply lives. He is Sentient, because he is an animal 
organism. His sensations are those of physical pain or 
pleasure. Like other animals he is Instinctive, and herein 
we enter the border-land of the Intellect. It is impossible 
to draw the exact dividing line between Instinct as a Vital 



MANS TRIUNE NATURE. II 

function and Instinct as a Mental process. One clay the 
child stretches forth its little hands and we say this is in- 
stinct growing out of its Sensitive nature; the next day we 
note the same action and say it is prompted by the first 
gleam of the dawning intellect. The next step beyond the 
Instinctive is Perception, which represents the awakened 
Mental nature. Impressions are recorded in the brain and 
the retentive or Memorative faculty (if this word may 
be allowed) is developed and strengthened. The memory 
grows, and the play of the Imagination begins. The mind 
develops; out of Perception and Memory Reason is born 
and henceforth sits enthroned as the crowning faculty of 
the Mental nature. 

But during this mental growth the Emotive nature has 
also developed. Out of the suppliance of the Vital wants 
the Affectional characteristics spring, and the child feels 
the emotion of Affection for his mother. The Passional, 
which may manifest itself either as love or hate, evidently 
springs out of both the Vital and Emotive natures, and is 
but an intensified form of the Affectional. The emotion 
of Self-preservation finds its birth with the Affectional 
nature, though, perhaps, it develops more slowly. The first 
manifestation is that of surprise awakened by each new con- 
dition of life; then the emotion of fright takes hold of the 
child in the absence of those who administer to his comfort 
and shield him from harm. Out of this characteristic a 
long line of emotions spring, such as secrecy, caution, amaze- 
ment, fear, dread, horror, and terror. With the feeling of 
Self-protection and dependence upon others, the child's 
Affection now includes the other members of the family 
and his Social characteristics become patent ; later in life, 
as these unfold, they extend to the tribe, the nation, and, 
finally in the highest sense, to all mankind, as children 
of a common parent. Social relations impose upon him 
the sense of duty to his associates, and his Moral nature 



12 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

is touched. In a concrete way he learns the significance of 
"good" and "bad," and becomes morally responsible for 
his exercise of right and wrong. But his convictions of 
right and wrong are prompted solely by duty to himself and 
to his associates. There must be a higher sense of duty — 
that of intrinsic duty, or the exercise of right for right's sake, 
independent of its relation to self or to fellow-beings ; 
herein is the Spiritual nature made manifest. With the 
exercise of faith in man and in the immutable laws of life 
and nature, the Spiritual powers attain conceptions of God, 
creation, and eternity. In this the highest attribute of his 
Emotive nature he may even penetrate the otherwise 
" Unknown and Unknowable," and prophet-like he proclaims 
the mysteries of Revelation. 

Observe that the central point in our diagram is the 
appearance of Life in a Material body which is the first 
Vital condition ; Reason is placed as the supreme faculty 
of the mind, and the Spiritual as the culminating attribute 
of the soul ; with the evolutional steps leading from this 
mean to these extremes, the wide scope of this subject is 
apparent. Even a cursory treatment would lead into psy- 
chological discussions of such length as to defeat the main 
purpose of this volume. 

Accepting the above, however, as the principal channels 
through which man receives impressions, the question now 
arises : " How may these impressions, affecting these three 
Natures, be expressed ? " We answer, " Through Voice and 
Action." Then the philosophy of the manifestations of 
Man's Triune Nature through the agency of Voice and 
Action is the philosophy of human expression. 

III. DELSARTE'S CONTRIBUTION. 

We here turn to the teachings of the eminent French 
Philosopher, Francois Delsarte, who was the first to apply 



MAN S TRIUNE NATURE. I 3 

the time-honored theory of man's Triune Nature to the 
practical purposes of expression in art. Upon the law that 
each of man's natures must find its expression through the 
agency of corresponding Zones and Movements of the body, 
Delsarte constructed a transcendental philosophy which 
applies with equal truth to painting, sculpture, and acting. 
We even catch a gleam of its application to song and to 
vocal Elocution ; but Delsarte died without publishing his 
philosophy to the world, and his pupils 1 have practically 
applied his theories only to Action. But a theory so founded 
on facts and deep-rooted in our Psychic Being must apply 
to vocal expression ; and along this line we would direct 



IV. LAW OF INTERDEPENDENCE AND BLENDS- 

Before closing this chapter we would call attention to two 
other very important principles embodied in the Delsarte 
philosophy, namely : — the Interdependence of the three 
Natures, and their Blends in expression. To quote Arnaud, 
" Life and mind are one and the same soul ; soul and mind 
are one and the same life ; life and soul are one and the 
same mind." 

The- existence of a soul implies the existence of a human 
being as distinguished from a lower order of the animal 
kingdom. Destroy the mind and the man becomes an idiot, 
though his body and soul may live. Cause the vital functions 
of the body to cease and all physical manifestations must 
also cease, and we say of our friend, " he is dead " ; but the 
mental impress of his thought remains with us, and his mind 
lives in this cherished letter, that characteristic poem, or 
yonder book in the library ; and with reverence we meditate 
upon the joys of his liberated soul. 

1 See " System of Delsarte," by Abbe Delaumosne and Anglique 
Arnaud, published by Edgar S. Werner, New York. 



14 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Furthermore we may observe that in one person the Vital 
predominates, in another Mentality leads, and in yet another 
the Emotive characteristics are in the ascendency ; but in all 
cases the three natures are present and blended in the one 
person. 

Then the existence of one of the three natures of a living 
psychic Being implies the existence of the other two, just as 
one side of a triangle implies the existence of two other 
sides. 

So in the expression of any given thought or feeling all 
three natures are represented, but one leads while the other 
two assist and blend in relative degrees of manifestation. 
For instance, in anger the Emotive leads, followed closely 
by the Vital, and in a lesser degree by the Mental, so that 
anger may be called a Mento-Vito-Emotive passion. In 
didactic thought the Mental leads, then comes the Vital and 
lastly follows at more remote distance the Emotive, so that 
didactic language shows Emoto-Vito-Mental thought. In 
courage the Vital leads, closely followed by the Mental and 
Emotive making a Mento-Emoto-Vital state, and the whole 
Being is aroused to action. 

Applying this principle of analysis to the vocal phe- 
nomena of expression we shall hope to "evolve such an 
orderly procedure of statement " as shall claim the attention 
of the earnest student. 



CHAPTER II. — THE VOCAL APPARATUS. 

It is not necessary, within the limits of this volume, to go 
into a thorough study of the structure of the organs of 
voice. Let this be reserved for the specialist in anatomy, 
though a limited knowledge of the function and relation of 
these organs cannot but aid the thoughtful student in vocal- 
ization. 



ORGANS. 



'5 



SECTION I. — ORGANS. 
The voice as an instrument of speech consists of the 
following parts : — 

i. The Lungs. 4. The Pharynx. 

1. The Trachea and Bronchi. 5. The Nasal Cavities. 

3. The Larynx. 6. The Month. 




fig. I. — Lungs, Trachea and Bronchi, and Larynx, i, Thyroid cartilage of larynx; 
2, Cricoid cartilage of larynx ; 3, Trachea ; 4, Bronchi and their subdivisions. 



1 6 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



I. The Lungs. 



The Lungs constitute the bellows of the vocal apparatus. 
They are two light, spongy masses situated in the upper part 
of the trunk, and surrounded by a tough double fold called 
the pleura. This flexible mass is conical in shape pointing 
upward, with the base resting on the muscular floor of the 
diaphragm. The right lung is larger than the left and has 
three distinct lobes, while the left has but two, and has in 
its anterior a hollow into which is inserted the apex of the 
heart. The ramifications of the bronchi reach into the 
extremities of the lungs and lose their identity in the air 
cells of the soft tissues. 

It is the function of the lungs to receive and supply air 
to sustain life, and for the purposes of speech. The lubri- 
cating fluid between the smooth walls of the pleura renders 
respiration comparatively without friction. The process of 
respiration will be fully explained below. 

II. The Trachea and Bronchi. 

The Trachea or wind-pipe consists of a series of some 
twenty cartilagenous rings which form the great air passage 
to the lungs. It is located partly in the neck and partly in 
the chest. These muscular rings and the tissues which 
connect them are capable of being distended or narrowed, 
lengthened or shortened, and aid materially in the flexibility 
and resonance of tone. 

About four or five inches from the larynx there is a 
bifurcation of the trachea ; these branches extend into the 
lungs, the one to the right the other to the left, and are 
called Bronchi. These tubes are divided and subdivided 
like the branches of a tree until they terminate in the minute 
air cells of the lungs. See Fig. i. The function of the 
bronchi in voice production is the same as that of the 
trachea, they give individuality and rcsonatice to tone. 



ORGANS. 



III. The Larynx. 



The Larynx or voice-box, in which all vocal tone origi- 
nates is an irregular, funnel-shaped organ, about three inches 
in length, situated at the 6 
top of the trachea. It con- 
sists of five principal carti- 
lages. 

i . Cartilages of the Larynx. 

(i) The Cricoid (ring- 
shaped) cartilage rests on 
the upper ring of the tra- 
chea and is the foundation 
of the larynx. It is narrow 
in front and broad behind, 
and, like the rings of the 
trachea, it is capable of dis- 
tention, and relaxation, aid- 
ing materially in variety of 
tone. (See Fig. 2.) 

(2) The Thyroid (shield) 
cartilage is attached to the 
Cricoid above. The two 
broad plates, which act as 

a shield to protect the more delicate parts of the vocal 
instrument, unite in front, forming a protuberance called 
the "Adam's apple." (Fig. 1.) 

At the back, without uniting, and completely surrounding 
the larynx, they terminate in vertical prolongations called 
the horns of the cartilage. The size of this cartilage deter- 
mines largely the capacity of the voice. The smaller the 
cartilage the lighter the voice, the larger the cartilage the 
more voluminous the voice, and the more solid the cartilage 
the more sonorous the voice. (Figs. 1 and 2.) 




Fig\ 2. — Larynx, i, Section of Trachea; 
2, Cricoid cartilage 53,3, Arytenoid cartilages ; 
4, Vocal Cords ; 5, section of Thyroid cartil- 
age ; 6, left horn of Thyroid cartilage. 



1 8 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(3) and (4) The Arytenoid (pitcher-shaped) cartilages 
are attached at the back of the larynx to the broad part 
of the cricoid cartilage, connecting it with the thyroid. 
(Fig. 2.) They are so attached as to allow of movements 
of great freedom and rapidity, and are the most important 
of the cartilages because they serve as points of attachment 
for the vocal cords. 

The shape of the glottis, the tension of the cords, and the 
consequent variety in pitch are chiefly dependent upon the 
action of these cartilages. 

(5) The Epiglottis (cover cartilage) is a small ovated lid 
that falls back and closes up the mouth of the larynx during 
the act of swallowing. It also plays some part in the direc- 
tion and character of vocal sound ; when the tongue is de- 
pressed at the back, and this lid is partly closed, the effect 
upon tone is to render it duller and deeper. (See Fig. 8.) 

2. Vocal Cords. 

(1) The True Vocal Cords are two pearly-white ligaments 
surmounting corresponding triangular ledges of muscle. 
They stand in a horizontal position across the voice box, 
being attached at the back to the vocal processes of the 
arytenoid cartilages, at the front to the point of meeting 
of the two plates of the thyroid cartilage, and throughout 
their length to the plates of this same cartilage. (Fig. 2.) 
The expired air passes on but one side of each cord, the 
vibrating part being their thin edges. In th« production of 
pure tone the cords stand but little more than a hair's breadth 
apart, while in aspirated tones they are separated to a dis- 
tance proportionate to the amount of breath employed ; in 
gentle respiration they are thrown moderately wide apart at 
the back forming a triangular opening, while in full and 
deep breathing they are thrown entirely back, forming an 
oval passage, as will be seen from the accompanying illus- 
trations. 



ORGANS. 



19 



These changes are chiefly 
arytenoid cartilages, while the 
duction of varying degrees 
of pitch, depends upon the 
vertical and forward move- 
ments of the thyroid carti- 
lage. It is also interesting 
to note that the lighter the 
tone the thinner the vibrating 
part, and the more volumi- 
nous the tone the thicker 
the vibrating part of the 
cord. See accompanying 
figures 6 and 7. 

(2) The False Vocal Cords 
with the True Vocal Cords 



effected by the action of the 
tension, necessary for the pro- 



K9 



i 




Fig. 4. — Position of cords in gentle 
breathing, i, i, Vocal Cords; 2, 2, False 
Cords ; 3, Epiglottis ; 4, Rings of Trachea. 

ping the passage while hold- 
ing the breath so as to re- 
lieve the tension of the in- 
spiratory muscles. Dr. C. W. 
Emerson in his excellent 
work on " Physical Culture," 
says, " When a perfectly 
healthy person has fully in- 
haled, the superior vocal 
cords close simultaneously 
with the relaxing of all the 



Fig. 3. — Position of the cords in tone 
production, taken from photograph of the 
organs by means of the larynxgoscope. 
1,1, Vocal Cords 52,2, False Vocal Cords ; 
3, Epiglottis. 



, — Above and nearly parallel 
are the False (or Superior) 
Vocal Cords. They are sim- 
ilar in shape and structure 
to the True Cords, except 
that there are no white 
vibrating ligaments. Their 
chief function is to assist 
in regulating the expendi- 
ture of breath and in stop- 




Fig:. 5. — Position of cords in deep 
breathing. 1, 1, Vocal Cords; 2,2, False 
Cords ; 3, Epiglottis ; 4, Rings of Trachea ; 
5, 5, Openings into the Bronchi. 



20 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



muscles of inspiration and the contraction of all the muscles 
of expiration. These latter muscles drive the air upward, 
but it cannot escape easily from the lungs, because the 
superior vocal cords, by their contraction, have closed the 
glottis, and they must be driven apart by the air being 
forced up between them. While the breath is escaping with 




Fig. 6. — Section of the larynx show- 
ing the position of the vocal cords in 
the production of clear, light tones. 

i, i. Vocal Cords ; 2, 2, False Cords ; 
3, Pockets of the Larynx. 




Fig. 7. — Showing position of the 
cords in full voluminous tones. 

1. 1, Vocal Cords ; 2, 2, False Cords ; 
3, Pockets of the Larynx. 



such difficulty, it will be driven into the apexes of the 
lungs." The spaces between the true and false cords are 
called the Pockets. These False Cords and Pockets are 
shown in cuts, 6, and 7. 

It is not definitely known what part these Pockets play in 
vocalization, but it is supposed that they act as a protection 
to the true cords, retain moisture to lubricate them, afford 
room for their free vibration, and serve as resonators. 



IV. The Pharynx. 

The Pharynx is that portion of the throat between the 
larynx and the nasal cavities. It may be seen at the largest 
part when the mouth is well open, the tongue depressed, 
and the palate lifted. The upper part, sometimes called the 
Vault, or Dome of the pharynx, is one of the most important 



ORGANS. 



21 



cavities of resonance (see Fig. 8). A large and open 
pharynx is necessary to a full, smooth voice. When the 
muscles are contracted and the passage made rough, the 
tones are correspondingly disagreeable. This part of the 
vocal apparatus is the seat of that wasting disease called 
" Clerical Sore-Throat," which is the result not so much 
of excessive, as of misdirected, effort in vocalization. 




Fig. 8.— Vertical section of the mouth, left nostril, and pharynx. 2, Cartilage of 
Nose j 8, Cavity in the bone ; 9, Posterior cavity of nostril ; 10, Opening of the Eusta- 
chian tube; 12, Soft Palate, Uvula, 14, Hard Palate; 16, Tongue, forming the floor of 
the mouth; 17, Base of tongue; 18, 19, 20, Muscles; 21, 22, Folds between which (23) 
the tonsil lies; 24, Tongue, where it forms part of the Pharynx; 26, Pharynx, near 
Larynx; 28, Cavity of Larynx ; 29, Vocal Cords; 30, Epiglottis; 32, Thyroid cartilage , 
33, its upper border; 35, 36, Cricoid cartilage; 37, Membrane joining Cricoid and 
Thyroid cartilages. 



22 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

V. The Nasal Cavities. 

The nasal cavities constitute a very important part of the 
vocal apparatus. They are two irregularly constructed 
cavities separated by a bony partition, and having for their 
base the hard palate. There are three channels in each 
passage so arranged as to present as much surface as 
possible to the incoming air. All these parts are lined with 
a delicate mucous membrane, which has on its surface 
innumerable hair-like projections that point outward and 
arrest any particles of dust that might otherwise be carried 
into the lungs. (Fig. 8.) 

The bones and cartilages of the nose are to the voice 
what the sounding board of a piano is to that instrument — 
they act as resonators, giving to tone ring and character. 

When the delicate membrane that lines these cavities 
becomes diseased and fails to perform its functions, one 
of the first results is a change in the timbre of the voice. 
The smooth surfaces lose their resonating qualities and 
become deadened by growths which come of catarrh, that 
fearful enemy of the public speaker. 

The nose is the natural air passage in ?iormal breathing. 
There are four principal reasons why one should breathe 
through the nostrils : — 

(i) The nose tempers the air. 

(2) It purifies or filters the air. 

(3) 7/ keeps the passages open and rendc?-s them less 
susceptible to disease. 

(4) It prevents dryness of the mouth occasioned by inhaling 
dry air through the moist organs, and prevents certain 
diseases of the gums, teeth, and salivary glands, and other 
ills that mouth-breathers are heir to. 

VI. The Mouth. 

The only part of the mouth whose function is not gener- 
ally understood by the student is the palate. The hard 



ORGANS. 23 

palate forms the dome of the mouth and the base of the 
nasal cavities. It is a bony arch lined with mucous mem- 
brane and forms one of the chief resonators of the voice. 

The soft palate is attached to the posterior part of this 
arch and consists of a flexible muscular fold that hangs like 
a curtain between the mouth and the pharynx. The tri- 
angular, mobile muscle, pendant from the soft palate and 
terminating it, is called the uvula. 

The soft palate is one of the most important regulators of 
the shape and reso7iancc of tone, and consequently plays a 
leading part in vocalization. It acts as an adjustable 
partition by means of which, at will, the current of breath 
or voice may be sent either through the mouth or the 
nostrils or may be divided between the two organs, as is 
the case with many vocal elements. In the production of 
the vowel sounds the soft palate is thrown back toward the 
upper part of the pharynx, and the stream of tone is 
directed through the mouth, some letters requiring a very 
narrow and others a wide opening between the tongue and 
the palate. According to Brown and Behnke " the closure 
is modified for the different vowel sounds as follows : It 
is loosest for a, tighter for a, tighter again for 0, tighter still 
for do, tightest of all for e. It must also be observed that 
the closure is never sufficiently tight to prevent the setting 
up of co-vibrations in the nasal cavities with those passing 
from the pharynx into the mouth." 

In the production of nasal sounds, on the other hand, the 
stream of tone passes wholly through the nasal cavities, m 
requiring the lips closed, n the tongue pressed firmly against 
the front of the hard palate, and ng a strong contact of the 
soft palate with the back of the tongue. 

It is interesting to note the action of the soft palate in the 
production of different degrees of pitch. The higher the 
pitch of the tone the more elevated the palate, until in 
the highest notes of the Falsetto it is tensely arched against 



24 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

the upper part of the pharynx, and the uvula is so contracted 
as to be scarcely distinguishable from the outline of the soft 
palate. 

SECTION II. — MUSCLES. 

It is entirely beyond the scope of this work to enter into 
a study of all the muscles that assist in voice production. 
It will be sufficient to notice only the most important of 
those which are concerned in respiration. 

I. The Diaphragm. 

The Diaphragm is a strong, muscular partition which 
separates the chest from the abdomen. It stands like a 
vaulted arch in the cavity of the chest, the front edge being 
higher than the back so that, in contracting, the center of 
the arch takes a forward as well as a downward direction. 
As the diaphragm contracts the arch approximates a plane, 
pushing downward and forward the abdominal viscera, and 
elongating the cavity of the chest vertically. Its outer rim, 
attached, as it is, to the lower ribs is held firmly to its place 
by the intercostal muscles, or is made more tense by their 
action, as is the case in lower costal breathing. The chief 
function, then, of the diaphragm is its contraction and conse- 
quent approximation to a plane, and its elasticity when relaxed 
in expiration (see Fig. 9). 

II. The Abdominal Muscles. 

The Abdominal Muscles constitute the flexible wall that 
bounds the anterior portion of the abdomen. They are 
attached above to the lower ribs and assist in drawing them 
down to diminish the cavity of the chest. But their chief 
function is to drive back the viscera and diaphragm into the 
cavity of the chest, and in this way to expel the air with 
more vigor than can possibly be attained by the elasticity of 
the diaphragm alone. These muscles are indispensable in 



MUSCLES, 25 

forced expiration and in sustained notes of song or speech. \\\ 
ordinary tranquil breathing the abdominal muscles, although 
in motion, are not actively exerted, the movement being chiefly 
the result of the action of the diaphragm. They are active 
only in forced expiration, and become the involuntary means of 
strong vocal effects; it is therefore of the utmost importance 
to the public speaker that they be made strong by exercise 
(see Fig. 9). 

III. The Intercostal Muscles. 

The chief muscles of the chest are the Outer and Inner 
Intercostal muscles. There are eleven on each side. They 
are attached severally to the lower edge of each rib and to 
the upper edge of the next below. The upper ribs are held 
to their place by muscles attached to the clavicle and 
shoulders. The fibres of the Outer Intercostal muscles 
extend downward and forward. In contracting, each 
muscle moves freely and with a strong leverage on the rib 
below it. The lower ribs being longer than the upper, move 
more freely and through a greater arc, and as they approxi- 
mate a horizontal position the cavity of the chest is enlarged 
proportionately in all directions. 

The fibres of the Inner Intercostal muscles, on the other 
hand, run almost at right angles with those of the outer 
muscles, and serve, in forced expiration only, to draw the 
ribs downward to the position of repose, to which their own 
weight and the elasticity of the outer muscles would ordi- 
narily bring them. 

IV. The Chest Muscles. 

There are, moreover, muscles yet higher on the trunk 
which act upon the collar-bone and enlarge the cavity of 
the chest vertically. This, however, is a reserve, rather 
than a usual, act of breathing, and is used in very full 
inspirations or when the lower extremities of the lungs are 
affected by disease. It is the function of these muscles to 
help to sustain the chest in a vigorous, healthful position. 



26 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

SECTION III.— HEALTH OF THE VOCAL ORGANS. 

Before giving any exercises for strengthening the organs 
of respiration, a few words in regard to the health of the 
vocal organs may not be unwelcome to the student. 

The diseases of the vocal organs are not always the result 
of colds and sore throat. It is believed that more trouble 
comes from general than from local disturbances. Sickness 
of any kind tends to weaken the voice, and nothing more 
surely than a disordered digestion. In fact, colds are some- 
times the result, of a surfeit or indiscretion in diet. 

It is not our province to prescribe food for the speaker or 
singer ; it is sufficient to say that wholesome food should be 
taken in moderate quantities and at regular intervals. 

Regular habits in eating, sleeping, bathing, and exercise are 
most essential to vigor of mind and body. Physical exercise 
should be vigorous without being violent. That exercise 
is the best, in which the mind is not conscious of it, and 
in which there must be strife for some other point than 
exercise — a game of some kind which keeps the mind 
intent on winning, and not on the exercise necessary to 
health. We would recommend, as some of the most 
beneficial, rowing, fencing, sparring, tennis, the bicycle, 
and, what is more accessible but less exhilarating, Indian 
clubs, dumb bells, chest weights, and other appliances 
common to the ordinary gymnasium. After such exercises, 
and indeed at all times, exposure to drafts should be care- 
fully avoided and the body allowed to assume its normal 
state by degrees. 

It may be well to caution the speaker against using the 
voice too soon after a full meal, and in a cold room, or in the 
open air in raw, cold weather. He should wear the clothing 
loose enough for the muscles of respiration to have full and 
free play. Herbert Spencer speaking of the subject of phys- 
ical education and its results, says, " The first requisite to 



INSPIRATION AND EXPIRATION. 2J 

success in life is to be a good animal; and to be a nation of good 
animals is the first condition to national prosperity. Hence it is 
becoming of especial importance that the training of students 
should be so carried on, as not only to fit them mentally for 
the struggle before them, but also to make them physically 
fit to bear its excessive wear and tear. Surely none needs 
telling that a good digestion, a bounding pulse, and high 
spirits are elements of happiness which no external advan- 
tages can outbalance. Chronic bodily disorder casts a 
gloom over the brightest prospects ; while the vivacity of 
strong health gilds even misfortune." 

What Spencer has said will apply especially to him who 
would possess that most wonderful of instruments, a good 
voice, for we must conclude that judicious exercise is 
necessary to vocal power, because health gives vocal 
power and exercise is necessary to health. 



CHAPTER III. — RESPIRATION. 

Respiration is the process of drawing in and expelling the 
air, primarily to sustain life and incidentally for the purpose 
of speech. In impassioned utterance, and indeed, in all 
animated discourse, there is more breath used than is nec- 
essary to sustain life in repose. 

There are two acts that constitute respiration, (i) Inspi- 
ration and (2) Expiration. 

SECTION I. — INSPIRATION AND EXPIRATION. 

I. Inspiration is an active process. The lungs par- 
tially distended, and situated, as they are, in an air-tight 
chest, are very elastic ; equally so whether expanded or 
contracted beyond their normal position. It requires as 
much effort to expel, as to inhale, more than the usual 
amount of air. 



28 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



In a full inspiration the physiological process of the res- 
piratory organs is as follows : — 

(i) The diaphragm contracts and therefore sinks. 

(2) The front wall of the abdomen pushes forward. 

These two acts, the second the result of the first, lower 
the floor of the chest and prolong its vertical diameter. 





Fig* 9. — Sections of the body, showing A, Inspiration ; B, Expiration ; 1. Trachea; 
2. Sternum ; 3. Diaphragm ; 4. Abdominal walls. 



(3) The ribs and sternum move outward and upward by 
the action of the outer intercostal muscles. This enlarges 
the chest laterally. 

(4) The upper part of the chest is expanded laterally and 
vertically by the action of the upper intercostal and pectoral 
muscles. 

As these acts of inspiration progress, the air rushes in to 
equalize the pressure and expand the lungs against the 
retreating walls of the chest. (Fig. 9, A.) 

II. Expiration is either active or passive. It is active 
when the expiratory muscles contract so quickly as to 



METHODS OF BREATHING. 20, 

outrun, as it were, the elastic relaxation of the inspiratory 
muscles. The expiratory muscles are brought into more 
intense action in speech and song where there is need 
of positive jets, or a steady, energetic flow, of breath. This 
form of expiration brings into play muscles that complement 
those of inspiration, and act in an opposite direction. 

The physiological process of active expiration may be 
noted briefly as follows : — 

(1) The diaphragm relaxes and therefore rises. This move- 
ment is always passive. 

(2) The front wall of the abdomen is suddenly drawn in, the 
viscera forced against the diaphragm and the latter against 
the lungs. 

(3) The ribs and sternum are drawn down and in by the 
inner-intercostal muscles. This diminishes the circum- 
ference of the lower part of the chest. 

(4) The upper part of the chest is drawn down and i?i by 
the action of the thoracic and pectoral muscles. (Fig. 9, B.) 

The expiratory muscles are brought most strongly into 
action in coughing and sneezing : less strongly in sobbing 
and sighing. 

In passive expiration the air is sent forth by a gentle 
action of the expiratory muscles and the elastic reaction of 
the inspiratory muscles and tissues of the lungs themselves. 
This is the form of expiration used in ordinary tranquil 
breathing. 

SECTION II. — METHODS OF BREATHING. 

There are three methods or types of breathing any one 
of which may be used principally but which taken by itself 
must be considered partial only. These types are not 
wholly independent, but may overlap or extend one into 
another. In a full inspiration the three types are used. 



30 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

They are as follows : — 

I. Clavicular Breathing. 

Clavicular (collar-bone) breathing, although it is scarcely 
ever used without being extended into the costal type, is 
carried on by lifting and lowering the collar-bone and the 
shoulders, thus expanding and contracting the chest at its 
smallest part. The ribs at this point are shortest, and 
instead of floating as do the lower ribs, they are attached 
both to the spine and the breast-bone and cannot by any 
possibility move with great freedom. This method is the 
most fatiguing of all because of the effort necessary to lift 
the bony structure of the trunk, together with the shoulders 
and arms. It is easy to see that in voice production it would 
be difficult to sustain this weight and supply the air steadily. 
It is sometimes employed in the representation of exhaustion 
or fatigue when this condition is to be personated. 

In case the lower parts of the lungs become disabled, 
this is the reserve power that may then be called into 
action ; but for the purpose of vocalization in song or speech 
the results are far from satisfactory. 

It is our deliberate judgment that many of the throat 
diseases with which speakers are troubled are due to a wrong 
method of breathing. 

II. Costal Breathing. 

Costal (rib) breathing is produced by the action of the 
outer and inner intercostal muscles. In its most distinct 
form it is usually accompanied by a slight action of the 
diaphragm. The ribs, being suspended, are easily acted 
upon by the muscles, and float freely outward and upward ; 
the air is thus caught into the largest part of the chest 
without difficulty. This is a more desirable method than 
the clavicular, but, for the purposes of speech, it does not 



BREATHING EXERCISES. 3 I 

reach its full strength until it is accompanied by the third 
form. 

III. Abdominal Breathing. 

In this distinctive method the muscles which do the work 
are the diaphragm and the front wall of the abdomen. 
They act upon the lungs and upon each other alternately. 
The deeper the diaphragm sinks, the further the abdomen 
is protruded, the more the lungs are expanded downward, 
and the stronger is the reaction of all those organs in 
expiration. 

This method which should extend into, and join with, 
the costal method, is the one most strongly recommended, 
because it is the least fatiguing. There is no waste 
energy. The powder is behind the ball and not around it. 
The projectile force is applied farthest from the muzzle of 
the gun. Furthermore, these parts are the most flexible. 
They are suspended, and can be swung without being lifted, 
and it follows that the speaker is better able to husband his 
strength, and discourse more easily to himself and with 
more comfort to his audience. 

We quote from Lennox Browne and Emil Behnke to 
sustain our position : "The criterion of correct inspiration 
is an increase of size of the abdomen and of the lower 
part of the chest; whoever draws in the abdomen and 
raises the upper part of the chest breathes wrongly.' ' 

SECTION III.— BREATHING EXERCISES. 

There are many excellent breathing exercises for the 
development of particular organs or muscles, but it is diffi- 
cult to give one exercise without including good points of 
many others. However, for the sake of convenience, we 
have grouped some of the most practical of these as fol- 
lows : — 



32 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION, 



TThe Lungs. 
i.^J Bronchi. 
i. For Development of Organs,^ l Tra chea. 

2. Vocal Ligaments. 
^ 3. Pharynx and Nasal Cavities. 



2. For Development of Muscles, 



3. For Economy of Breath, 



1. Abdominal. 

2. Diaphragmatic. 

3. Costal. 

4. Chest. 

1. In Inspiration. 

[2. In Expiration. 



I. Development of Organs. 

1. Exercises for the Lungs, Bronchi, and Trachea. 

(1) Inhale slowly through the nose until the lungs are 
full ; then exhale as slowly on the sound of — h — . Let 
each act occupy from three to eight seconds. 

(2) Innate the lungs as before and expel all the breath in 
about one second with the whispered sound of - — hah — . 

(3) Inhale until the lungs are full, close the glottis and 
hold the breath 5 — 10 — 15 or 20 seconds while the heat 
of the body expands the air ; then exhale quickly but easily 
on the sound of — haw — . 

(4) Stand erect, fully inflate the lungs, close the glottis 
and with a free action of the wrists strike the chest ten 
times with the points of the fingers ; then exhale with a 
prolonged sighing sound. Repeat the exercise, striking 
with the palms and gradually increasing the force of the 
strokes. 

(5) Inhale and retain the breath while striking forward 
vigorously with the fist as follows : — right arm four times, 
left arm four times, alternately four times, and simulta- 
neously four times ; exhale quietly. 



BREATHING EXERCIS] 33 

(6) Place the arms akimbo, inhale and sustain the breath 
while bending the body to the right four times, to the left 
four times, then alternately four times ; exhale. In like 
manner, bend forward four times, backward four times ; 
then alternately four times. 

(7) Inhale a moderate breath, close the glottis by the 
contracting action of the superior (false) vocal ligaments, 
project the breath for a moment, and then relax the liga- 
ments, throwing open the glottis during the full exhalation. 

(8) Inhale slowly to the full capacity of the lungs, open 
wide the mouth and larynx and expel the breath all at once. 
Relieve any unpleasant effects of this exercise by giving 
some of the tonic sounds vocally several times. 

In none of the above exercises should the student prac- 
tice to the point of dizziness. The time given to each 
exercise must be regulated by the strength of the student. 

2. Exercises for the Vocal Ligaments. 

(1) "Take the breath through the nostrils, retain the air a 
little while, put the lips in a smiling position and exhale the 
air as slowly as possible, producing with the vocal ligaments 
the sharpest possible whisper of the vowel — a — (as in 
day)." [From Leo Kofler's "Art of Breathing." 1 ] Give the 
same with — a — (as in arm) and — e — (as in me). 

(2) Repeat the above exercise emitting the stream of air 
in little jets by the alternate opening and closing of the 
glottis. 

3. Exercises for tJie PJiarynx, and Nasal Cavities. 

(1) After a full inspiration exhale as slowly as possible 
through the nostrils with a sharp aspirated sound. The 
column of air should be projected through the pharynx and 
into the nasal cavities. Let the expiration be from ten to 
thirty seconds. 

1 E. S. Werner, Publisher, New York. 



34 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(2) Repeat the above exercise dropping the jaw about 
an inch, and gradually closing the mouth during the progress 
of the sound without changing the direction of the column 
of air. 

II. Development of Muscles. 

1. Exercises for the Abdomi7ial Muscles. 

(1) Inhale slowly and give abdominal impulses in abrupt 
partially vocalized coughs of uh. 

(2) Vocalize uh five times, aspirate it five times, then 
vocalize and aspirate it alternately five times with short 
vigorous abdominal impulses ; relax the abdominal muscles 
after each stroke. Repeat this exercise beginning slowly 
and increasing the movement to the greatest possible 
rapidity. 

(3) With a slight occlusive cough of uh sound each of 
the syllables ha, he, hi, ho, hu, hoi, hou, thus uh-ha, uh-he, 
uh-hi, tih-ho, uh-hu, uh-hoi, uh-hou. 

(4) Close the lips, take a full breath and force it through 
the nostrils in short, expulsive jets in rapid succession with 
abdominal impulses. This is the suppressed or aspirated 
laugh. 

(5) Laugh out each of the vowels a — e — i — 6 — ii, be- 
ginning slowly and accelerating the movement of abdominal 
and glottal strokes. 

(6) After a full, deep inspiration exhale vigorously with 
the prolonged sound of — s — . 

(7) Give abdominal impulses at regular intervals on the 
accented syllables of any metrical selection e.g. " Hear the 
loud alarum bells: Brazen bells : " Do the same at irregular 
intervals using any impassioned prose selection. 

(8) " Take a full breath correctly, retain it a few seconds, 
press the lips very tightly and force a small blast of air 
through them ; retain the breath again ; and give another 
expulsion of air through the small opening as before ; and 






BREATIllX*. EXERCISES. 35 

so on as many times as can be comfortably executed in 
one breath." Leo Kofier calls this " The healthful lung- 
sweeper" and it is one of the best of his many excellent 
breathing exercises. It is frequently referred to as a restful 
conclusion to other stronger exercises. It is also refreshing 
after fatigue from singing, speaking, running or other 
physical exercises. 

2. Exercises for the Diaphragm. 

(i) "Take the breath through the smallest possible open- 
ing of the lips very gradually, little by little, in one slow, 
continuous, thin flow of air. Retain it a couple of seconds 
then expel it all at once through the mouth and immediately 
do the preceding exercise (8) to quiet the lungs." — Leo 
Kofier. 

(2) Exhale as much breath as possible, place the organs 

in the position for the sound of f and inhale with vigorous 

diaphragmatic impulses until the lungs are filled. Exhale 

gradually. 

3. Exercises for the Intercostal Muscles. 

(1) Take a full breath distending the ribs laterally as far 
as possible and then expel the breath slowly contracting the 
sides as much as possible. This movement may be meas- 
ured by passing a tape line around the body over the float- 
ing ribs. 

(2) Place the hands on the ribs close under the arm-pits, 
inhale against the pressure of the hands, and force out the 
breath by a strong inward pressure of the hands. 

4. Exercises for the Chest Muscles and Cartilages* 

(1) Lean a little forward, extend the arms above the 
head, take a full breath, bend the body a little backward, 
draw back the arms until the hands rest upon the chest and 
expel the air between the compressed lips. 

(2) Inflate the lungs, retain the breath while moving the 
shoulders first forward, then upward, then backward, and 
downward ; exhale. 



36 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

III. Economy of Breath. 

i. Exercises in Inspiration for Quick Supply of Breath. 

(i) Inhale inaudibly through the mouth as quickly as 
possible; exhale gently. 

(2) " Take the breath as quickly as possible through the 
nostrils with mouth closed. Do this several times in suc- 
cession." — Kofler. 

(3) " Take breath as quickly as possible through the nos- 
trils with the mouth open, but let no breath enter through 
the mouth." — Kofler. 

(4) Count from one to ten, inhaling after each count only 
breath enough for the utterance of the next count. 

(5) Count by threes, fives, tens, fifteens, and twenties, 
inhaling after each group. The first three groups of this 
exercise are especially recommended, because the intervals 
for breath-taking are about as they occur in ordinary 
speaking. 

2. Exercises in Expiration for Economical Expenditure 
of Breath. 

(1) Inhale to the full capacity of the lungs and count in 
a whisper as far as possible in one breath. 

(2) Inhale and read aloud in one breath as much as pos- 
sible of the following sentence: 

" There is one thing, and one thing only, which defies all 
mutation, — that which existed before the world, and will survive 
the fabric of the world itself : I mean justice, — that justice 
which, emanating from the Divinity, has *a place in the breast 
of every one of us, given us for our guide with regard to ourselves 
and with regard to others, and which will stand, after this globe 
is burned to ashes, our advocate or accuser before the great 
Judge." — Burke. 

It must be understood that the last two exercises (1 and 2) 
are only for the economical expenditure of breath. The 
habit of taking short, quick, maudible inspirations at frequent 
7-hetorical intervals should be cultivated, as the lungs should be 



purpose. 37 

supplied in this way rather than by less frequent and more 
copious indraughts of air. 



CHAPTER IV. — CULTIVATION OF THE VOICE. 

As the instrument must be put in tune before the 
musician, however skillful, can make it give forth " excellent 
music," so the human voice, that most wonderful of instru- 
ments, must be attuned to the will of the speaker or singer 
that it may respond to every shade of emotion. A good 
musician cannot make good music with a poor instrument, 
neither can a learned speaker reach the best effects through 
the medium of a poor voice. On the other hand an 
unskillful musician cannot make good music even with the 
violin of a Paginini or the piano of a Rubinstein ; so nature 
may have given the speaker a remarkably good voice, which 
he may not have injured by misuse, but he may not have 
the skill to use it to the best advantage. We must practice 
Vocal Culture to correct imperfections, to develop that which 
is good in the voice, and to acquire skill in the right use 
of it. 

Voice production is a very delicate, but no less positive, 
physical exercise depending upon the action of the vocal and 
respiratory muscles. These muscles are subject to the will, 
and are as capable of development by systematic and correct 
exercise as any other muscles of the body. Then we must 
be guided by the same laws in Vocal Culture that we have 
long since recognized and followed in Physical Culture. 

SECTION I. — PURPOSE. 

The purpose of Vocal Culture is to develop Purity, 
Strength, Compass, Flexibility, and Sustaining Power. A 
voice well developed and cultivated in these five directions 
is capable of responding to every requirement in expression. 



38 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

I. Purity : Purity and richness of to?ie depend upon the 
economy of breath, the free vibration of the vocal cords, and the 
healthf ulncss and freedom of the resonant cavities. We should 
speak with the expenditure of as little unvocalized breath as 
possible. Frequently the resonant cavities become clogged 
by disease or diminished by disuse : any practice that will 
clear and enlarge these cavities will give clearness of re- 
flection. A pure quality of voice is not only agreeable to 
the ear of the listener, but it enables the speaker to be 
heard in a large room without much expenditure of power. 

II. Strength : Strength of voice depends upo?i the breadth 
of vibrations and the power of projection. With purity of tone 
there must be sufficient power or force with wmich the tones 
may be sent forth, and strength of the vibrative function to 
sustain whatever degree of propelling power the occasion 
may require. 

III. Compass : Compass or ra?ige of voice is depende?it upon 
the elasticity of the vocal liganie?its and the expanding and con- 
tracting power of the resonant cavities. 

IV. Flexibility : Associated with Compass and depend- 
ent upon the same conditions is the power to vary or inflect 
the voice so as to utilize this range and give variety and beauty 
to speech. 

V. Sustaining Power : This important requisite of a 
good voice enables o?ie to continue and, it may be, attenuate a 
tone until its full value is brought out, and also to sustain 
whatever vigor and strength the expression may demand. 
Sustaining Power depends upon the correct management 
of the breath, and the strength and right use of the vocal 
muscles. 

SECTION II. — GENERAL SUGGESTIONS. 

A good method of voice production is of first importance : 

this acquired, all other things being equal, a good voice and 
the easy use of it will be the inevitable result. 



GENERAL SUGGESTIONS. 39 

All Vocal Culture depends primarily upon correct 
breathing. If the breathing is correct any vocalization 
may be a voice culture ; if it is wrong, the use of the voice 
to any extent is an injury. Let us remember that the 
human voice is like a plant ; we must cultivate it and let 
it grow. Too much cultivation will injure a plant. It must 
have time to grow. So with the voice ; too much exercise, 
even by correct methods, without time for rest and growth is an 
injury rather than a help. We quote from the fly-leaf of an 
author's presentation of " How to Get Strong, and How to 
Stay So," by William Blaikie, the lawyer-athlete of New 
York : " Exercise daily and vigorously, but never violent- 
ly, and always stop when you are tired.' ' This is as 
applicable to Vocal Culture as to any other muscle culture. 
Fatigue implies destruction of life : stop and rest, or change 
the exercise whenever the vocal muscles are tired. 

Touch the extremes of high, low, loud or harsh but 
seldom ; cultivate these rather by practice on the lesser 
degrees that lie next to them. Never strain to reach a 
degree of intensity beyond your vocal strength. A strong 
voice is simply an evidence of the strength of the voice-pro- 
ducing power. 

There is a feature of vocal exercise too often overlooked 
by both teacher and student which we may term Mento- Vocal 
Culture ; this consists in giving each exercise under the 
mental condition implied by the sounds and words used. 
The exercises herein prescribed are made up of the elements 
of vocal expression. It will be seen in subsequent chapters 
that the various degrees, shadings and combinations of these 
elements are expressive of corresponding degrees, shadings 
and combinations of sentiments and emotions. The brain 
controls the vital functions of all the muscles of the body ; 
then we should think the thought and feel the emotion em- 
bodied in the elements of any given vocal exercise ; at the same 
time use a controlling will-power in the right use of the muscles 



40 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

involved, and correct voice production will soon become 
habitual. This habit, once gained, is easily retained by- 
practice, and with practice one may acquire a capital of 
vocal vitality the interest of which will be sufficient for any 
speech he may be called upon to make. A speaker who 
produces tones wrongly, or fails to replenish his vocal powers, 
draws upon his stock of vitality each time he speaks, and his 
ultimate breaking down is only a question of time. It is a 
principle of Political Economy no less true of Vocal Economy, 
that it is better to make capital produce one's living than to 
consume capital for the necessities or luxuries of life. 

SECTION III. — VOCAL EXERCISES. 

Particular exercises in the five principal directions in 
which the human voice may be cultivated as explained in 
Section I, will be given in succeeding chapters when the 
Elements involved are considered. But as a preparatory 
drill for evenness of vibration of vocal cords, the develop- 
ment of vocal cavities, the cultivation of reinforcing vibra- 
tions, and the economy of breath, we here give some exer- 
cises in the phonetic sounds. 

In the following exercises the student should observe this 
order: name the letter, give the phonetic sound of that 
letter, and pronounce the illustrative word; then with vigor- 
ous abdominal impulses give the phonetic sound five times 
the last time repeating the illustrative word e.g. a — a — arm ; 
a — a — a — a — arm, g — g — gun; g — g — g — g — gun. 
C — k — can; C — C — C — C — can. Then give the three 
sounds in each line below in sets five times each, e.g., oi — 
i — ou; orb — d — g. 

I. For Evenness of Vibration of Vocal Cords : 

Tonics e as in me, a as in ale, a as in air ; 

or vowels a " " arm, a " " all, o " " old ; 

(p. 44). e " " eve, " " do, a " " arm; 



VOCAL EXERCISES. 4 1 

i as in ill, e as in end, a as in at ; 
u " " use, u " " pull, o " " son; 
oi " " oil, i " " isle, ow " " owl. 

II. For Enlargement of the Trachea, Larynx 

, and Pharynx : 

Subtonics . . . , , . ,., 

D as in bob, a as in aid, g as in go. 
(p. 44). 

Force the air strongly into these cavities making an 
audible vibration of the vocal cords while the cavities are 
filling. 

III. For Development of the Nasal Cavities : 
Subtonics. m as in mum, n as in no, ng as in sing. 

This exercise may be further intensified by pressing the 
nose between the thumb and finger and closing the nostrils 
while giving the phonetic sounds. 

IV. For Re-Inforcing Vibrations : 

Subtonics. v as in vivid, z as in zone, zh as in azure ; 

w " " wild, y " " yet, th " " then; 

j " " judge, 1 " " lull, r " " roar. 

V. For Economy of Breath : 

Atonies k as in kick, h as in has, f as in fife ; 

(p. 44). p " " pope, t " " tut, s " " sauce; 

th " " thin, ch " " church, sh " " shun. 

As there is no vibration of the vocal cords and a con- 
sequent opening of the cavities of the larynx in the utter- 
ance of the atonies, the tendency is to allow too much air 
to escape in the attempt to make these sounds audible. 
This exhausts the breath, and generally produces hoarse- 
ness. The student should practice these sounds with all 
possible economy of breath. 



42 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



CHAPTER V. — PRONUNCIATION. 

Pronunciation is the utterance in a single impulse of the 
elements that constitute a word ; it is the process of trip- 
ping easily from one sound to another until the combination 
of letters becomes a complete whole. 

I. Importance of Good Pronunciation. 

Of the importance of good pronunciation little need be 
said. Every one has felt how much more agreeable it is to 
listen to one who speaks distinctly than to listen to one 
who mumbles. There is a physical advantage in good 
enunciation because it requires more breath to mumble 
than to speak distinctly, and a waste of breath is a waste of 
vitality. In distinct pronunciation the organs of articulation 
are held firmly together until each element has had its due 
time, then they are quickly changed into position for the 
next element. In mumbling the elements are allowed to 
slip out carelessly and breath is wasted at the joints or 
articulations of sound. 

II. Advantage to the Listener. 

Then there is an advantage both physical and mental to 
the listener. If the utterance be indistinct he must strain 
his attention simply to understand the words, to say nothing 
of the nervous energy necessary in considering the theme 
presented. The brain should be relieved of the former task 
by distinctness of utterance, and be left free to devote itself 
to the thought. It is easy to see that an audience after a 
time will grow weary of this strain of attention and become 
listless and restless. This of course acts unfavorably upon 
the speaker and cannot but prove dispiriting to him. What 
is true of the public or professional man is equally true of 



ENGLISH SOUNDS. 43 

the conversationist or the man of business. Good pronun- 
ciation, wherever found, in whatever vocation, is prima facie 
evidence of culture and refinement. 

Incorrect pronunciation is largely the result of improper 
home training. The child of educated parentage has less 
to unlearn in spoken English when he comes into the 
schools than the child of the illiterate. Both are natural in 
their pronunciation, but the one is refined and the other 
crude. To pronounce well one must hear good pronunciation. 
It must become a habit, a second nature, and so easy as to avoid 
the suspicion that any particular attention is being paid to it. 

People of the highest social and intellectual culture 
establish usage, which in turn establishes pronunciation. 
A standard dictionary is but the record of that usage, and 
the pronunciation of the masses should accord therewith. 

SECTION I. — ENGLISH SOUNDS. 

Richard Grant White says, with reference to the origin of 
articulate speech, that " man first uttered formless vowel 
sounds, as now in early infancy and idiocy, that prolonged 
infancy of the mind, he utters only such sounds. Those 
vowel sounds were in the course of time interrupted, modi- 
fied, and supported by consonants, without which vowels 
cannot be put to much intelligent use. Vocal utterance thus 
made articulate, had of course differences ; and those differ- 
ences came naturally and inevitably to be associated with 
things, with feelings and with thoughts." 

Each vowel utterance, when unaccompanied by one or 
more consonants, is an unbroken stream from beginning to 
end and may be illustrated as follows : — 



1 C 



D ( > ( 1 C 



44 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

When uttered as above they convey no particular intelli- 
gence, but when they are linked together by consonants, and 
the stream of vowel tone is interrupted at intervals we have 
articulate speech thus : — 





a - 




rm 


— a — 


d 




a 




( 






I 




I 






) 




e — 


— X- 


e — 


— c — 


— u 


-t- 


o — 


— r 


( 




X 




i 




X 




) 



These sections and joints of speech are called phonetic 
elements. The number of these distinct elements has been 
variously estimated at from forty to forty-seven. The more 
minutely they are analyzed the more numerous they will 
appear, but for all practical purposes the number may be 
placed at forty-three. 

The elements of the language as to their phonetic sound 
are divided into three classes : Tonic, Subto?iic, and Atonic. 

I. Tonics. 

The Tonics are clear, open, unobstructed tones. All 
vowels and diphthongs belong to this class, e. g., a, e, o, 
ae, oi, etc. 

II. SUBTONICS. 

The Subtonics are undertones or modified tones. The 
voice instead of being allowed to pass freely through an 
open mouth as in the tonics, is modified by the articulating 
organs. All consonants that have tone are subtonic. e. g., 
b, 1, m, ng, th (then), etc. 

III. Atonics. 

The Atonics are sounds without tone ; breathings inter- 
rupted or modified by the articulating organs. 

The vocal cords are active in the production of tonics 
and subtonics but are separated and passive in the pro- 
duction of atonics. e. g., f , h, k, s, sh, etc. 

It is believed that all purely English sounds are repre- 
sented in the appended table : — 



ENGLISH SOUNDS. 



45 



IV. Table of English Sounds. 



TONICS. 


SUBTONICS. 


ATONICS. 


a as in ale. 


b as in bob. 


f as in fife. 


a " arm. 


d " <#</. 


h " has. 


a " all. 


g " <?qr« 


k " kick. 


a " air. 
a " ask. 


1 " lull. 


p " pope. 
s " sauce. 


a " at. 


m " mam*. 

n " mm. 
r " razr. 


t " /«/. 
sh " shun. 
ch " church. 


e " eve. 
e " end. 


e " err. 


V " vivid. 


th " Aim. 




W M wild. 
y " _j^. 
z " zone. 
ng " j/;/^". 


wh " when. 


1 " isle. 
1 " ill. 


" old. 


" afe. 


%fe " ^». 




" son. 


z (zh) " azure. 




U " «Mtf. 


U " /////. 






Oi " oil. 


OU " owl. 







It will be observed that we have used only such diacriti- 
cal marks as are common to Webster and Worcester, since 
lexicographers have not agreed upon a common system. 
They are the macron (-), used to indicate the long sounds 
of the vowels as a, e, l, 6, u, and the hard sound of g 
(gun); the breve (^) to indicate the short vowels a, S, i, 6, u ; 
the diaeresis (••) to indicate the Italian a, thus a; the semi- 
diaeresis (•) to indicate the soft sound of g (gem); the hori- 
zontal bar to indicate the k-sound of c, thus -C, and the 
subtonic th thus tfr. 



4 6 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



SECTION II. — INTRINSIC TIME- VALUE OF SOUNDS. 

The elements of the language as to their intrinsic time 
value are either stopt or continuant. 

Stopt sounds are such as cannot be held profitably to any 
considerable extent. Examples k, p, t, s, etc. 

Continuant sounds are such as can be prolonged to ad- 
vantage. Examples 1, m, r, v, etc. 

I. Table of English Quantities. 



Stopt Sounds. 


Continuant Sounds. 


vowels. 


CONSONANTS. 


vowels. ; CONSONANTS. 


a as in at. 


b as in bob. 


a as in ale. \ 1 as in lull. 


a " ask. 


d " did. 


a " arm. \ m " me. 


e " met. 


g " gag- 


a " all. i n " nun. 


i " it. 


f « fife. 


a " air. \ r " roe. 


" son. 


h " hat. 


e " eve. \ v " vie. 


U " put. 


J " jig 


e " e'rr. | w " woe. 




k " kick. 


i " isle. \ y " _j/^/. 




p " pop. 


" f/</. i z " zone. 




S " sat. 


00 " ^s^. ; th " then. 




t " tat. 


U " use. \ ng " .rz';/£-. 




th " thin. 


Oi ° <?z7. i zh M azure. 




Ch " chat. 


ou " o»r. 




sh " shun. 






wh " when. 





The requisites of correct pronunciation are four : — 

i. Clear articulation. 

2. Correct quality of vowel sound. 

3. Correct syllabication. 

4. Proper accent. 



ARTICULATION. 47 

As there is no firm contact of the organs of speech in 
vowel sound the term articulation will be used chiefly with 
reference to the execution of consonants. 

SECTION III. — ARTICULATION. 

Articulation as the word indicates is a jointing or linking 
together of the elements of a word. 

An accurate and distinct articulation is the basis of good 
delivery. Dr. Gilbert Austin says that "in just articulation 
the words are not hurried over, nor precipitated syllable over 
syllable ; nor, as it were, melted together into a mass of 
confusion ; they are neither abridged nor prolonged ; nor 
swallowed, nor forced, and, if I may so express myself, shot 
from the mouth ; they are not trailed nor drawled, nor let 
slip out carelessly, so as to drop unfinished. They are 
delivered out from the lips, as beautiful corns newly issued 
from the mint, deeply and accurately impressed, perfectly finished" 

One may acquire ease and fluency of articulation by 
practice upon the elements singly and in combination. 
Each element requires a certain definite position which may 
be learned and practiced, and there is no English element 
that is not pleasant to the ear when properly sounded. 

I. Oral Position of Consonants. 

When we examine consonants as to their position in 
the organs of articulation, we find three distinct classes : 
(i) Labials, (2) Linguals, and (3) Palatals. 

In the production of Labials the lips are the flexible 
parts, in the Linguals the tongue is the flexible part, and in 
the Palatals the palate. The term " Dental " is not used in 
this connection for the reason that in opening and closing 
only, the teeth cannot be said to be flexible, although they 
have much to do in regulating the shape of tones. The 
letters which employ the lips and teeth we here designate 



4 8 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



labials, those that employ the tongue and teeth, Unguals, 
and those that employ the back of the tongue and palate, 
palatals, on account of the location of the sounds. 



Table of Consonants. 



LABIALS. 


LINGUALS. 


PALATALS. 


b as in bob. 


d as in did. 


g as in gag. 


f « fife. 


j " judge. 


h " hat. 


m " mum. 


1 " lull. 


k " kick. 


p " pipe. 


n " nun. 


y " yet. 


V " vivid. 


r " roar. 


ng " sing. 


W " weal. 


s " sauce. 




wh " when. 


' t " tut. 
Z " zone. 
th " then. 
th " thin. 
Ch " church. 
sh " shttn. 
zh " azure. 





In order that the student may acquire strength and def- 
•initeness of articulation it may be necessary in some cases 
to study in detail the position required for each consonant. 

The Vocule in articulation is a faint sound heard on 
separating the organs in certain abrupt elements as b, d, k, t, 
etc. Maki7ig the vocule too distinct or separating it too far 
from adjoining elements is one of the worst of affectations. 

II. Cognates. 

Cognates are letters that have the same position of the 
organs but different sounds ; as the word indicates they 
originate together, i. e. in the same position of the organs. 

There are three classes : (i) Labial Cognates, (2) Lingual 
Cognates, and (3) Palatal Cogitates. 



ARTICULATION. 

i. Tabic of Cognates. 



49 



LABIAL COGNATES. 


LINGUAL COGNATES. 


PALATAL COGNATES. 


SUBTONIC. ATONIC. 


SUBTONIC. ATONIC. 


SUBTONIC. ATONIC. 


b (bob), m (muni) ; p {pipe). 
V {vivid) ; and f {fife). 
W {weal) ; and wb. {which) 


d {did), and n (no) ; t (tat). 
j (judge) ; and ch (church). 
Z (zone) ; and S (sauce). 
tb (//«?«) ; and tb (thin). 
zb (seizure) ; and sh (show). 


g (gig), ng (sing) ; k (***). 
y (yet) ; and h (hat). 



(i) Repetition of Sounds and Conjunction of Cognates. 

Much of the stilted reading that is common to the schools 
and the disjointed utterance of many speakers, in their 
efforts to be exact or nice, comes of the bad management 
of cognates in conjunction. Barring rhetorical pauses of 
unusual length, and emphasis which must always be taken 
into account, this law should be observed : When a word 
ends with a sound with which the next word begins, or if 
the sounds be cognates, one position of the organs will do 
for both. 

(2) Illustrations. 

1 . The rub w begins. 

He was a calm^man. 
Let them not revive vandalism. 
He had his fife fixed. 
He was kind and^dear. 
No ne kn ew a lovelier boy. 
Tell him not^to do so. 
The judge joined us. 
She stood in the church w chancel. 
The thermometer w registers w zero. 
It was all for the truth's^sake. 
They are all with^thee. 
13. Return to thy dwelling all^lonely return. 



2. 

3- 
4- 

5- 
6. 

7- 

8. 

9- 
10. 
11. 
12. 



50 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

The same position of the organs is held through both 
sounds, the distinction between them being made by lighten- 
ing the sound at the junction or by making a slight hiatus 
without replacing the organs. In blending the two words 
"all lonely" in the last exercise the sounds of the two Fs 
may be represented thus ; l-OO-l ; The stream of tone 
instead of being broken is continued, swelling out on the 
separate elements. 

In the conjunction of cognates in the following sentences 
the position of the outer articulating organs remains the 
same in each case and to the eye there is no change but the 
sound is different. 

They sought to rob^men. 

They overstep^modesty. 

Why should he leap^boundaries. 

Live for others. 

They hovered w near. 

We want_none of it. 

It was I that w denied thee gold. 

They had their judge chosen. 

It was soon w done. 

What w did they do with w things? 

It was a long^course. 

The men worked at log^cutting. 

In the fifth sentence the words " hovered near " may be 
joined and yet made distinct. Sound d without giving its 
vocule, then, holding the tongue in the same position, turn 
the stream of tone through the nostrils by a slight action of 
the palate and we have the letter n. It is often necessary 
to make an inter-sound or an inter-syllabic pause or break 
for articulative enforcement of an idea, in order that the 
organs may have time to take a new position. 






ARTICULATION. 



5' 



III. Exercises in Articulation. 

Exercises i?i articulation are to the organs of articulation 
what physical exercises are to the muscles of the body, they give 
strength for use in case of need. Let the student practice the 
following exercises for strength and flexibility of the organs 
and observe this supreme law of articulation, that strength oj 
contact and quickness of release of the organs are necessary con- 
ditions of success. 

I. Co?nbinatio7i of To?iics with Subtonics and Atonies. 



SUBTONICS AND TONICS. 


Atonics and Tonics. 


b with a 


zh with a 


k with a 


d " e 


w " e 


f « e 


g « i 


y « i 


p " i 


m " o 


th " o 


t " 


n " u 


j " u 


s " u 


v " oi 


1 " oi 


ch " oi 


z " ou 


V " ou 


sh " ou 



(i) In the above table of exercises combine each con- 
sonant singly with all the vowels in the opposite column, as 
ba, be, bi, bo, bu, boi, bou ; da, de, di, do, etc. 

(2) Reverse the order of exercises combining each vowel 
singly with all the consonants in the opposite column, as 
ab, ad, ag, am, an, av, az ; eb, ed, eg, em, etc., or ab, eb, 
ib, ob, ub, oib, oub ; ak, ek, ik, ok, uk, oik, ouk. 

(3) Give ee — 00 — ah ; and ip, it, ik, each five times 
and in sets five times. — Adapted from Professor Lewis B. 
Munroe's " Vocal Gymnastics." 

(4) In the same manner give kiff, kiss, kish ; which, 
church, myth; oi, ai, ou; lil, lol, la; par, mar, star; 



52 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

rare, rear, car; form, from, far; that azure vault; 
jeer Zeb's wit; yet, you, yawn; la, sea; koo, kah; 
and SOO — e — i — — ah. — Adapted from Professor f. W. 
Churchill* s Vocal Exercises. 

2. Initial Co?nbinations of Consonants. 

Sound separately and distinctly each of the elements 
composing the following initial combinations. In each case 
utter the combination in full after having spelled it phonet- 
ically. Let this be followed by the pronunciation of the 
representative word containing the combination. 

Br, bl, dr, dw — Ex. brink, black, drench, dwell. 

fl, fr, gl, gr — Ex. fled, frame, glare, grain. 

kl, kr, kw, pr — Ex. clash, crown, quick, prank. 

pi, tw, sp, spr — Ex. plan, tweak, spot, spring. 

spl, sf, st, str — Ex. splash, sphere, stand, strain. 

sn, sm, si, sk — Ex. snare, smote, slain, sky. 

ski, skw, thr, tr, etc. — Ex. sclave, square, thrive, trim. 

3. Terminal Combinations of Consonants. 

In the same manner as in the foregoing exercise practice 
the following terminal combinations : — 

Bdst, bldst, rbz, dz ■ — Ex. probdst, troubl'dst, curbs, deeds, 
dst, dths, gld, jd — Ex. midst, breadths, strangled, judged, 
fist, fts, fths, sk — Ex. raffls't, wafts, fifths, mask, 
sp, sts, lcht, lbz — Ex. rasp, fists, mulch'd, bulbs, 
lmz, Iks, It, mdst — Ex. elms, elks, felt, dim'dst. 
mpts, rgz, rvz, rkst — Ex. tempts, burgs, curves, hark'st. 
rths, zmz, pts, ts, etc. — Ex. births, chasms, crypts, beats. 

4. Phonetic Spelling. 

dead P u lp palate chamber typify 

march ring remorse nothing faculties 

vaunt hold forget prosper companion 



ARTICULATION. 53 

This list may be supplemented with words from exercises 
2 and 3. 

This is an exercise of great utility and should be practiced 
diligently by the student who would remedy his faults of 
articulation. Sound-spelling is no more than an unduly 
deliberate pronunciation, in which only the elements that 
compose the word are sounded. Prof. Mcllvaine speaking 
on this point says, " The student should not fail to exercise 
his articulating organs in the formation of all the elementary 
sounds. These exercises should be continued until the 
breathing and vocalizing organs are brought under perfect 
control, and to the highest degree of efficiency and facility, 
in the formation of every sound." 

5. Sentences in Difficult Articulation. 

Practice the following sentences with strict reference to 
articulation. 

"My weak words have struck but thus much show of 
fire." — Shak. 

" Our yoke and sufferance show us womanish." - — Shak. 

" Where wilt thou find a cavern dark enough to mask thy 
monstrous visage ? " — Shak. 

" O conspiracy, shamest thou to show thy dangerous brow 
by night ! " — Shak. 

" We're your well wishers." — George Eliot. 

"And there's my gold-handled hunting-whip." — Eliot. 

" Some two months hence up higher toward the North he 
first presents his fire." — Shak. 

" Ghosts did shriek and squeal about the streets." — Shak. 

" Such a creature is among the wretchedest sights seen 
under the sun." — Carlyle. 

" Nature has proved that the great silent Samuel shall not 
be silent too long." — Carlyle. 

" Suddenly seaward swept the squall." — Whitticr. 



54 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

" She never gives to truth and virtue that which simple- 
ness and merit purchaseth." — Shak. 

"The narrow stream flowed softly by, mirroring clearly 
the trees and sky." — Anon. 

" When extreme speed is sought, a very little thing makes 
an important difference." — Bo?i7ier. 

"He saw an old man roll railroad iron." — Anon. 

" Maybe we will be left unmolested until the harvest is 
over." — Helen Hunt Jackson. 

"Wouldst not play false and yet wouldst wrongly win." — 
Shak. 

" Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind." — Shak. 

" A knavish speech sleeps in a foolish ear." — Shak. 

" When thou wast young thou girdedst thyself and walkedst 
whither thou wouldest." — John, xxi. 18. 

" The weak-eyed bat with short, shrill shrieks flits by on 
leathern wings." — Anon. 

"I fancy the first Frenchman fenced furiously." — Pierce. 

" Sweet is the capture when the captive finds the captor 
a captive too." — McDowell. 

Read in a whisper the foregoing sentences with strong 
and precise articulation, such as would be understood in 
remote parts of a large audience room. The student may 
improvise numerous other exercises. There is not, however, 
so much virtue in the multiplication, as in the systematic, 
earnest practice, of a few leading exercises. 

SECTION IV.— QUALITY OF VOWEL SOUND. 

By quality of vowel sound is meant the character or 
subtle distinction of tone which is the ground work of 
refined pronunciation. The tendency to utter improperly 
vowel sound is the most fruitful source of mispronunciation. 
With the exception of a modified r or /, or possibly one or 
two other consonants, the English dialects and provincial- 



QUALITY OF VOWEL SOUND. 55 

isms in pronunciation are the result of a wrong sounding of 
the tonic elements of the language. 

For a description of the English sounds the student is 
advised to make a careful study of the introductory pages 
of one of our standard dictionaries — Worcester, Webster, 
or the Century. 

I. Defects in Quality of Vowel Sound. 

Let us examine briefly some of the sounds that are most 
frequently abused in utterance. 

i. a is frequently modified so as to be equivalent to short 
Italian #, (ask) with e as a vanish, e. -g„ day becomes dae. 

Examples for Practice. 



day 


hay 


pray 


fray 


gray 


way 


clay 


stay 


they 


may 


spray 


clay 



2. Italian a is often modified into short Italian a, (ask) 
or short a, or a (all) ; and sometimes even to a (air). 

Examples for Practice. 



vaunt 


balm 


staunch 


papa 


daunt 


calm 


launch 


calf 


gaunt 


palm 


haunch 


laugh 


haunt 


psalm 


jaunt 


bath 



3. Broad a (a\S) and its equivalent (#rder) are very often 
pronounced with the sound of Italian a ; on the other hand 
they are sometimes vulgarly broadened. e. g. thought 
becomes thot. 

Examples for Practice. 



all 


sought 


awful 


taught 


call 


thought 


lawful 


wrought 


daughter 


caught 


straw 


fought 



56 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

4. Short Italian a (ask), or more properly "intermediate 
a " differs from the Italian a not only in quantity but also in 
quality. Many excellent teachers of orthoepy insist that 
the only difference is in quantity. Such, it seems, have 
misinterpreted our authorities. Webster plainly states that 
short Italian a "in organic position lies between short a 
and Italian a but in quality as well as position more nearly 
resembles the latter." "More nearly" then must not be 
interpreted to mean "altogether." He further states that 
"the main, part of the tongue is raised higher, the lower jaw 
is not so much depressed, and the mouth is not so widely 
open." 

We quote from Worcester : " The fifth sound of a (#sk) 
is an intermediate sound of this letter, between its short 
sound, as in fat, man, and its Italian sound as in far, father." 
Now, as every new adjustment of the vocal organs effects a 
change of quality, and as it is impossible to utter these two 
sounds with the same position of the organs, we must 
conclude that their quality is different. 

Examples for Practice. 



after 


blast 


chaff 


rasp 


advance 


brass 


fast 


shaft 


answer 


grass 


pass 


staff 


ask 


dance 


quaff 


vast 



5, The sound of a (air) is often turned into a not in- 
frequently into a ; for example fair becomes fayer. It will 
be observed that the teeth are not so widely separated as in 
Italian a and the corners of the mouth are drawn farther 
back than in any other vowel sound. This makes a 
flattened opening for the sound, and on this account it is 
sometimes called flat a. 



air 

care 

bare 



QUALITY OF VOWEL SOUND. 57 

Examples for Practice. 



fare 


pair 


spare 


hair 


scare 


square 


lair 


snare 


stair 



6. Short a is sometimes sounded like a (air) but more 
frequently — especially by singers, who, no doubt, desire the 
most agreeable quantities — it is sounded like one or the 
other of the Italian a's. e. g. man becomes man. 





Examples 


for Practice. 




and 


stand 




glad 


marry 


man 


span 




banter 


character 


band 


bad 




planter 


parasite 


hand 


mad 




land 


carry 



7. Short e is frequently given the sound of short a. e. g. 
well becomes wal : when, whan. 

8. In regard to e, i, u, and y before r much has been said 
and written, and great effort has been made by some ortho- 
epists and teachers of elocution to induce the people to make 
distinctions among these sounds, but it has been to little 
purpose. The masses, headed by a large majority of the 
best educated portion of the people, have persisted in pro- 
nouncing her, fir, fur, and myrrh, without any appreciable 
distinction in vowel sound and the latest editions of our 
standard dictionaries have been forced to record it. 

Let us quote from the latest editions of three leading 
authorities. Worcester says : " There is little or no differ- 
ence in the sounds of the e, i, u and y, when under this 
mark, i. e., the diaeresis, which marks these vowels when 
they are succeeded by r. Webster, while he advises a 
distinction, acknowledges that by many orthoepists and 
"the majority of English-speaking people, it is not actually 



58 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

observed," and that those who employ only one pronuncia- 
tion for tilde e, i, and caret u do not always employ the 
same one. Considering these facts he reaches the conclu- 
sion that " unsettled usage makes such diversity allowable." 
The collaborators of the Century Dictionary — forty lead- 
ing scholars and specialists of the United States — led by 
William Dwight Whitney of Yale, make no distinction be- 
tween these sounds. They have felt it incumbent on them 
to recognize the wish of a large majority of the people. 
The words in the following table may all be pronounced 
with the same vowel sound. 

Examples for Practice. 



her 


stern 


mercy 


fern 


fir 


sir 


bird 


first 


fur 


urn 


urge 


further 


myrrh 


myrtle 


merge 


err 



9. Long is often substituted for {order), and vice 
versa ; e. g. hoarse becomes horse, sword becomes sawrd, or 
forty becomes fourty, and adorn adourn. 

10. Long 00 and its equivalents (do) and u (rude) are 
often changed to short 00 {foot), sometimes to long u. 
This is quite general in parts of New England. 

Examples for Practice. 

truth rue hoof boot 

rude fruit roof food 

rule brute soon root 

11. (son) and its equivalent short u are quite commonly 
changed to short 0, not infrequently to short e ; e.g. blood 
becomes blod, or nearly so ; done sometimes is pronounced 
den. 



QUALITY OF VOWEL SOUND. $() 

Examples for Practice. 



sun 


flood 


fun 


drudge 


done 


gun 


love 


judge 


blood 


mother 


blush 


grudge 



12. Probably long u (y and long oo) is the worst abused 
of the vowel sounds. 

There is a strong tendency to omit the y element of this 
sound in some places unfavorable to its utterance. This 
tendency has been successful in case of u following ;-, as in 
rude, j as in June, ch as in chew, and sh as in shude, or its 
equivalent s, as in sure, the vowel having a clear sound of 
long oo. Some recent English authorities prescribe the 
same treatment of the u when it is preceded by /, but our 
own lexicographers have not yet accepted this wholesale 
change. 

The collaborators of the Century Dictionary, however, ad- 
vise and so record the use of long oo where / is preceded 
by another consonant. This, it seems to us, is a wise 
advance, and one that will be received with almost uni- 
versal favor, and especially by those who have dreaded the 
phonetic gymnastics necessary heretofore in pronouncing 
blue (bl — y — oo). 

The following list of words, according to the latest, and 
we believe the best authority, may be pronounced with the 
sound of long oo. 

Examples for Practice. 

clue glue jew shude 

June chew 

jute sure 

juniper surety 

In the following words, however, the y element should 
be retained and made distinct without being elaborate or 
forced. 



blue 


plume 


flue 


plumage 


flute 


slew 



6o 


PRACTICAL 


ELOCUTION. 






Examples 


for 


Practice. 




duty 


constitution 




news 


neutral 


dude 


institute 




nude 


produce 


deuce 


luminary 




tune 


assume 


duke 


lute 




tumult 


exhume 



II. Alphabetical Equivalents. 

It seems unnecessary to call attention to all the 
alphabetical equivalents of the tonic elements. There is 
one, however, that the orthoepists generally give as a 
separate sound which, it will be noticed, does not appear in 
our table of the elements. We refer to short o, which, we 
believe, is equivalent to Italian a in quality. It must be 
granted that there is a difference in quantity but there must 
be something more than this to differentiate the elements. 

If, by way of illustration, a piece of timber after having 
been sent through a planing machine, be cut into different 
lengths the width and thickness of the pieces are not 
affected. Now the quality of a tonic element depends 
upon its width and thickness, the length having nothing to 
do with it, and when the organs are in position for a vowel 
sound and the stream of tone is begun, it may be cut off 
at will by the articulating organs without having its 
quality changed. In the sound of a (what), a (father), and 
o (bother) the organs sustain identically the same position 
but the sound varies in length, and therefore, we hold, they 
should be represented by one element, and as Italian a is 
the most natural sound in any language and common to 
most of them, we have named that as the element. 





Exa?nples 


for 


Practice. 




father 


quality 




bother 


calm 


wan 


arm 




what 


blot 


far 


daunt 




smart 


spark 


was 


don 




dart 


mock 



QUALITY OF VOWEL SOUND. 6l 

The tendency to pronounce all sounds alike that have the 
same diacritical mark is a fruitful source of mispronun- 
ciation. This is especially the case with short o. Although 
sot and sang have the same mark in Webster and Worcester 
it is contrary to good taste to pronounce them with pre- 
cisely the same sound of o. A vowel sound is lengthened 
or shortened by the consonant that succeeds it. The ele- 
ment / is the shortest possible English quantity ; ng, on the 
other hand, is one of the longest. The word sot should be 
pronounced with the shortest sound of o, and so?ig with a 
sound so much broader as to become closely allied to o 
(order). This intermediate sound is heard in monosyllables 
and accented syllables in which the o is followed hyf,ft, ss, 
st, th, n, ng, g. 

Examples for Practice. 



off 


cross 


lost 


cloth 


long 


cough 


loss 


frost 


broth 


song 


loft 


boss 


cost 


gone 


dog 


soft 


moss 


tossed 


on 


log 



III. Obscure Vowels. 

It is one of the marked characteristics of proper spoken 
English that vowels of most unaccented syllables are passed 
over lightly and quickly, being altered both in quantity and 
quality. William Dwight Whitney says, "to write the 
vowels of unaccented syllables as if they were accented is a 
distortion, and to pronounce them so written would be a 
caricature of English speech." He says further in the 
Century Dictionary, "there are two degrees of this trans- 
formation : In the first the general vowel quality of a long 
vowel remains, but is modified toward or to the correspond- 
ing short. This first degree of change is marked by a single 
dot under the vowel ; thus, a, e, o, u, o, 6. 



62 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

In the second degree the vowel loses its specific quality- 
altogether and is reduced to a neutral sound, the slightly 
uttered u (of hut). 

This change occurs mainly in short vowels, but also some- 
times in long vowels (especially u and a). 

This second degree of alteration is marked by a double 
dot under the vowel ; thus, a, e, i, o, a, u. 

Accordingly the dots show that while in very elaborate 
utterance the vowel is sounded as marked without them, in 
the various degrees of inferior elaborateness it ranges down 
to the shortened or to the neutralized vowel respectively ; 
and it is intended that the dots shall mark, not a careless 
and idiomatic utterance — not that of hasty conversation, 
but that of plain speaking, or of reading aloud with distinct- 
ness. In careless talk there is a yet wider reduction to the 
neutral sound. It must be clearly understood and borne in 
mind that these changes are the accompaniment and effect 
of lightening and slighting of utterance ; to pronounce with 
any stress [weight] the syllables thus marked would be just 
as great a caricature as to pronounce them with stress as 
marked above the letter." 

Worcester states that the obscure mark is regarded in the 
majority of cases " as indicating an indistinct, short sound 
of the vowel, but in many cases it indicates a slight or 
unaccented long sound." 

Examples for Practice. 

(i) Words containing obscure long sounds. 

amenable elaborate oration regulate 

carbonate irascible democrat forensic 

enervate idealism educate amuse 

(2) Words containing obscure short sounds which ar> 
proach short u. 



SYLLABICATION. 63 

formal poet idol consul 

garland pupil capitol student 

travel merit forum benevolent 

(3) Unaccented syllables ending in r preceded by one of 
the vowels are pronounced with the same vowel sound. 



friar 


sulphur 


senator 


lawyer 


porter 


satyr 


orator 


creator 


nadir 


legislator 


gladiator 


savior 


doctor 


educator 


solicitor 


sailor 



SECTION V. — SYLLABICATION. 

Syllabication is the dividing of a word into such parts as 
will produce the most euphonious pronunciation. 

I. Formation of Syllables. 

A syllable consists of an element or a combination of 
elements uttered with a single impulse of the voice. 

Certain tonic elements may take this impulse either as a 
word or one of the syllables of a word. e. g. a, ah, awe, 
O, eye; tfbout, arena, enervate, idea, #val, unique. 

The liquid subtonics, — /, m, n, r, — when they occur in 
certain positions, may take the place of tonics and form 
the basis of syllables, e. g. the word trouble is equivalent 
in pronunciation to troubel, the word little to litel, fire, to 
fier. But it is a serious fault to make two syllables of such 
words as spring (spu-rin'g), slain (sii-lain'), bless (bid-less*), 
smote (sti-mole 1 ), snare, (sfi-nar'e), etc. 

On account of the strength of vocality of the vowel 
sounds two of them cannot be sounded in the same vocal 
impulse. There must be a separate impulse for each tonic 
element of a word. The singleness of this muscular effort 
marks the complete syllable. The consecutive impulses do 



64 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

not necessarily break the progress of the sound. In the 
word a-e-ri-al, for example, there are four distinct impulses, 
each of the vowels forming the basis of a syllable. In the 
word beau, on the other hand, e, a, and u stand as the 
equivalent of long o forming but the one .syllable bo. The 
words blame and strengths likewise have each but a single 
impulse, — the latter containing seven sounds, the greatest 
number that can be uttered in one impulse. 

Dr. James Rush in his work on "The Human Voice" 
speaking of this muscular impulse, says that the radical 
[beginning] and vanish [ending] are essential functions of a 
syllable and that "each of the tonics may by itself form a 
syllable, since they cannot be pronounced singly without 
going through the radical and vanish. It follows also that 
two of the tonics cannot be united into one vocal impulse. 
For each having its own radical and vanish, they must pro- 
duce two separate syllables. Consistently with this, when- 
ever two elementary tonics adjoin, they always belong to 
different syllables in pronunciation, as in aerial, oasis, and 
iota." It follows, then, that there must be as many syllables 
as there are distinct tonic or open sounds. 

II. Division of Words into Syllables. 

" The most natural way of dividing words into syllables 
is to separate all the simple sounds so as not to divide 
those letters which are joined close together according 
to the most accurate pronunciation." — E?icyclopaedia 
Britannica. 

The two special points to be considered in syllabication 
are etymology, and phonetic euphony. 

i. The etymology of the word is the dividing of the 
word with reference to its derivation ; as thus, sub-ordinate 
not su-bordinate, re-mimerate not rem-unerate, con-jugate not 
conj-ugate, etc., and 



SYLLABICATION. 65 

2. The phonetic euphony, i. e. the dividing of a word 
with reference to smoothness of utterance ; as thus, re-ligion 
not rel-igio/i, spc-cijic not spec-ijic, hmg-est not lon-gcst, etc. 

For specific rules in regard to syllabication the student is 
referred to a standard dictionary. 

III. Syllables, as to Number and Position. 

1. According to the number of its syllables a word is 
called : — 

A Monosyllable — a word of one syllable, 
A Dissyllable — a word of two syllables, 
A Trissyllable — a word of three syllables, or 
A Polysyllable — a word of more than three, or of many 
syllables. 

2. According to its position in a word a syllable is 
called : — 

The Ultimate — when it is the last syllable of a word 

(re-morse), 

The Penult — when the last but one (vig-or), 

The Antepenult — when the last but two (beau-ti-iu\), 

The Preantepenult — when the last but three (sflir-it-u-aX), 

or 

The Propreantepenult — when the last but four (dis-?//- 

ter-es-ted-ness). 

IV. Time-Value of Syllables. 

Syllables as to Intrinsic Time-Value are of three classes: 
Indefinite, Mutable, Immittable. 

1. Indefinite syllables are long in quantity intrinsic- 
ally. They may be pronounced quickly or prolonged 
at will. They are composed wholly of continuant 1 sounds, 
e. g. lame, arm, all, roar, etc. 

2. Mutable syllables are changeable as to intrinsic 
quantity. They may be pronounced short, or may be 

1 The student is here referred to the Table of English Quantities, page 46. 



66 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

prolonged moderately. They are composed of a combi- 
nation of stopts and continuants, e.g. rate, tale, moat, 
like, bleed, etc. 

3. Immutable syllables are always short intrinsically. 
They are composed wholly of stopt sounds and cannot be 
prolonged without a drawl, e.g. bat, check, putty, sketch, 
stop, etc. 

SECTION VI.— ACCENTUATION. 

Accent is a term used to denote the special weight of 
voice put upon one syllable of a word to distinguish it 
from the rest. Mr. James E. Murdoch, in his "Analytic 
Elocution," defines accent as the "fixed but inexpressive 
distinction of one syllable from the rest in every word of 
two or more syllables." Accent is to a word what emphasis 
is to a phrase or clause. It is difficult sometimes to deter- 
mine where accent develops into emphasis. 

When words are uttered with no particular feeling or 
earnestness there is an alternate action and reaction of the 
voice which makes certain syllables stronger than others. 
This is a physical convenience and a necessity, and a means 
of differentiating words. Every English word of more than 
one syllable has at least one syllable thus made prominent. 

Accent was used by the Greeks for the purpose of render- 
ing their speech varied and musical. It was a combination 
of what we call melody with accent, only that some of the 
notes were musical. The natural desire for pleasing variety 
exists in all languages. In some the accentual distinction 
is very much more marked than in others. The French, for 
instance, has an accent very much lighter than that of the 
English. A strong accent is one of the distinguishing 
features of English, and one of its chief elements of power. 
It is a great source of variety, a constituent element of 
rhythm, and therefore a leading factor in versification. 



ACCENTUATION. 6 7 

I. Kinds of Accent. 

There are three kinds of accent with respect to their 
weight or importance : The primary, the secondary, and the 
tertiary. 

1. The primary (') is the strongest of the accents, and 
is to be found in all words of more than one syllable, as 
7iw//'an, xebuke'. 

2. The secondary (") is an accent of lighter weight, used 
in connection with the primary, and on some other than the 
principal syllable. It is used when there are more syllables 
than can be pronounced without this extra support of voice, 
e.g. in"destruct'ib\e, ad"awant'me, an"tede/uv'ia.n. 

3. The tertiary ('") is the lightest of the accents, and 
is used only in connection with the others in certain very 
long words, its use being the same as that of the second- 
ary accent, viz. to relieve the ear and support the voice ; 
e. g. in'"destruc"tivi/'ity, incom'"pre/icn"sivi/'ity. 

II. Variation of Accent. 

The change of position of the accent in English serves a 
variety of purposes. 

1. To show contrast. 

Variation in accent enables us to show the difference 
in meaning between words of similar form when they are 
placed in opposition. 

When the root syllables are the same the accent is placed 
on the prefix or suffix of one of the contrasted words, usually 
the last, e.g. "Shall we ascend'?" "No, let us Ascend." 
"The body is des//7/<r/'ible, the soul z;/destruc"tible." 

Ordinarily, in the above words when there is no anti- 
thesis the accent falls on the root syllable ; e. g. descend', 
mdestruct'ible. 

Furthermore, accent may be changed to imply a contrast 
when but one of the opposed words is given ; e. g. 



68 * PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

"And for my soul what can it do to that, 
Being a thing ////'mortal as itself." — Shak. 

" This is ^/z^'tructive". 

2. To distinguish Parts of Speech. 

Where words of different parts of speech have the same 
form, lexicographers mark the distinction in most cases by 
a change of accent. Hence accent varies : — 
(i) To distinguish between a noun and a verb ; e. g. 



con'trast 




contrast' 


cem'ent 




cement' 


ac'cent 




accent' 


pro'gress 




progress' 


ov'erthrow 




overthrow' 


distinguish an adjective 


from 


a verb. 


per'fect 




perfect' 


ab'sent 




absent' 


fre'quent 




frequent' 


pres'ent (or noun) 




present' 


reb'el (or noun) 




rebel' 



(3) To distinguish a noun from an adjective. 

Au'gust august' 

com'pact compact' 

min'ute minute' 

gallant' gal'lant 

It must not be understood that all dissyllables used as 
nouns or adjectives, and verbs, vary in accent. The follow- 
ing are examples of words that vary in pronunciation, but 
not by accent : abuse, abuse; diffuse, diffuse ; excuse, excuse. 

3 . To satisfy metre. 

Poets sometimes deviate from generally accepted author- 
ity, and place accent where the verse requires it, e. g. 



ACCENTUATION. 69 

" What may this mean, 
That thou, dead corse, again, in com'pltte steel, 
Revisit'st thus the glimpses of the Moon, 
Making night hideous," etc. — Skak. 

" My fate cries out, 
And makes each petty artery in this body 
As hardy as the A^'mean lion's nerve." — Shak. 

"The bride had consented, — the ^w/'lant came late." — Scott 

"Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until 
Great Birnam wood to high Dum-zVane hill 
Shall come against him. 



I will not be afraid of death and bane, 

Till Birnam forest comes to Z?«7z'sinane." — Shak. 

" 'Tis sweet and ^w/z'mendable in your nature, Hamlet, 
To give these mourning duties to your father." — Shak. 

4. For Dialectic Purposes. 

In pronouncing broken English as foreigners pronounce 
it we vary the accent to suit the dialect. For instance, the 
French place the accent slightly stronger on the second 
syllable of a dissyllable, about equally on the first and third 
of a- trissyllable, and in a polysyllable on every other one 
beginning with the second. As for example in the following 
passage from " Innocents Abroad : " 

" I show you beau'Wful' , O, m-a.gnif'\cent' bust Christopher' 
Co/'ombo', splendid', grand, m&gnzf'icenf. . . . Dis'o.over' 
A;;^/k«' — dis' cover* Amer'ica', O, ze devz'/V — Mark Twain. 

The position of accent is determined by usage. There is 
a growing tendency, however, to draw it back as near as 
possible to the first syllable of words. 

For explicit rules in regard to accent the student is re- 
ferred as before to the leading lexicographers. 



7o 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



SECTION VII.— WORDS COMMONLY MISPRONOUNCED. 

We append the following list of words that are ordinarily 
mispronounced. Let the student consult a standard diction- 
ary, mark diacritically each word, and then pronounce them 
over repeatedly with distinctness and accuracy. This is the 
surest means of acquiring good habits of pronunciation. 

It will be inferred from what has already been said that a 
word when mispronounced must be defective in at least one 
of four things : in consonant sound, quality of vowel sound, 
syllabication, or accent. 

I. Words in which one or more consonant sounds are 
often given wrongly : — 



t 






ir 



absolve 


derision 


jocose 


paths 


anchovy 


disaster 


languor 


j* piquantly 


apostle 


effusive 


licorice 


profuse 


archipelago 


equation 


loth 


pumpkin 


blouse 


exclusive 


mausoleum 


salmon 


booth 


exordium 


mistletoe 


shriek 


Caucasian 


explosive 


nasal 


soldier 


chastisement 


falcon 


nausea 


swaths 


concourse 


financier 


often 


truths 


denunciate 


government 


orison 


version, etc. 


II. Words 


commonly pronounced with 


some improper 


modification of vowel sound : 


— 




alder 


bronchitis 


granary 


mandamus 


apex 


brooch f ot 


haunches 


monad. 


apparatus 


clique 


hearth 


national 


audacious 


data 


heinous 


patronage 


aunt 


dolorous 


hoof 


plover 


bath 


ducat 


hover 


pretty 


been 


due 


inveigle 


rapacious 


bicycle 


finis 


lenient 


strata 


bravado 


extol 


lute 


thought 


breeches 


gratis 


legate 


water, etc. 



WORDS COMMONLY MISPRONOUXCKD. 



71 



III. Words in which syllabication is often defective : — 



ameliorate 

ambrosial 

antipodes 

appreciate 

arduous 

audience 

axiom 

bachelor 

barbarous 

beauteous 



business 

caisson 

calliope 

cerements 

chasm 

cocoa 

contrariety 

desuetude 

elm 

filial 



gaol 

heaven 

helm 

ideal 

individual 

ingredient 

javelin 

nauseous 

odious 

orator 



ordeal 

orthoepy 

pageant 

pyrites 

rhythm 

satiety 

seven 

soldier 

venial 

viceroy, etc. 



IV. Words in which the accent is commonly misplaced: — 



ally 

belial 

brigand 

calliope 

canine 

catafalque 

coadjutor 

commandant 

construe 

contumely 



decorous 

diocesan 

disputable 

disinterestedness 

etiquette 

exemplary 

extant 

finance 

gladiolus 

illustrated 



indissoluble 

inquiry 

lyceum 

mandarin 

metallurgy 

mirage 

mischievous 

museum 

obdurate 

obligatory 



occult 

opponent 

ordeal 

orthoepy 

orchestra 

precedence 

pyramidal 

romance 

routine 

tribune, etc. 



These lists may be supplemented indefinitely. 



CHAPTER VI. — EMPHASIS. 

Emphasis is the special distinction given to words by 
means of the Elements of Expression. It is to a phrase 
or clause what accent is to a word. Emphasis is not a 
vocal element, it is the result of an application of elements. 
When one has mastered the principles of expression, his 
application of the elements may be summed up in the one 



72 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

word Emphasis. This is the sine qua non of elocution. It 
is that by which we determine the thought, emotion or 
feeling of the speaker, — that by which a reader brings out 
the intent of an author. In a larger sense, Emphasis makes 
prominent any utterance or action which more effectually 
reveals our Mental, Emotive, or Vital state. 

Due discrimination in the relative importance of words is 
essential to good reading and speaking. It is a singular fact 
that the same ease in Emphasis with which one addresses 
his fellows in conversation seldom attends him when he 
undertakes public address or reading aloud. Ease and 
directness are sources of power that the public man cannot 
afford to dispense with. They awaken attention, and 
because of the definiteness with which words are stamped 
upon the ear by discriminative Emphasis, they stimulate 
thought. Emphasis, when properly given, discloses the 
exact meaning of the sentence, shows the relation of the 
parts, and makes a definite impression upon the ear. One 
may give as many different impressions as there are words 
in the sentence, those conceptions depending upon the rela- 
tive importance given the words. This discrimination in 
words is the simplest form of Emphasis. It sets forth the 
logical meaning and appeals to the understanding alone. 
But when the elements which express emotion are intro- 
duced, then we address the feelings and the imagination. 
"This it is," remarks Professor Plumptre, "which gives life 
and spirit to discourse, and enables it to produce its noblest 
effects and most important results. We have it in our power 
not only to make others conceive our ideas as we conceive 
them, but to make them also feel them as we feel them." 

It is not only necessary that the orator state his case to 
the understanding, but he must impress it upon the heart 
and persuade men. In the former the mind is attentive, 
and in a measure passive, in the latter the emotions are 
kindled and the man is persuaded to a course of action. 



EMPHASIS OF SENSE. 73 

Emphasis gives color and purpose to language. The 
student should ask himself, what is the central idea in the 
sentence, and what words can we least afford to dispense 
with. He thus ascertains the purpose of the author before 
giving an interpretation of his language. 

To formulate a plan by which the student may fix upon 
the word or group of words embodying the thought or 
emotion of the author we here outline the kinds of Emphasis. 
This applies to the language itself and not to the means of 
emphasizing. 

f Objective r 
[Sense J Antithetic \ Expressed. 
Emphasis of \ Climactic I- Imi>lied - 

Emotion 



SECTION I.— EMPHASIS OF SENSE. 

Emphasis of Sense addresses itself to the intellect. It 

is the comparative prominence we are constantly giving to 
words in order to reach the understanding. It lies outside 
the will or feeling and goes to intensify meaning. The 
divisions of Emphasis of sense are three : Objective, 
Antithetic, and Climactic. 

I. Objective Emphasis. 

Objective Emphasis is that which is required by the 
strength of words in relation to the context. It occurs upon 
such words as are necessary to the sense, — the key-words 
of the idea ; as in the following : — 

"It was noontide. The sun was very hot. An old gentlewoman 
sat spinning in a little arbour at the door of her cottage. She 
was blind ; and her grand-daughter was reading the Bible to 
her." — Charles Lamb. 



74 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

The underscored words are essential ; they form the 
skeleton of the narrative. Further illustrations : — 

"The funeral of the late Mr. Bertram was performed with 
decent privacy, and the unfortunate young lady was now to 
consider herself as but the temporary tenant of the house in which 
she had been born, and where her patience and soothing 
attentions had so long " rocked the cradle of declining age." — 
Scott. 

" Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the 
days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the 
east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the 
Jews ? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to 
worship him." — Matthew ii : I, 2. 



Good readi?ig is a right expressio?i of one's understanding 
of the thought of the author. Conceptions may differ widely. 
Objective Emphasis enables one to express these various 
meanings, hence it is sometimes called Discretionary Em- 
phasis ; e. g. in the passage from Hamlet, 

" Give me that man 
That is not passion's slave, and I will wear him 
In my heart's core, ay, in my heart of heart, 
As I do thee," 

it has been a question with the actors which word of the 
phrase "heart of heart" should receive the chief Emphasis, 
some claiming the reading should be " heart of heart," others 
"heart of heart," still others "heart of heart." The first 
seems to us the preferable reading, for if the lines read, 
" I will wear him in my heart's core, aye, in the centre of it," 
the case would be clear. Here " centre " stands in the 
place of the first " heart." But whatever the reading, Ob- 



EMPHASIS OF SENSE. 75 

jective Emphasis would be employed to express the actor's 
conception of the sense of the phrase. 

II. Antithetic Emphasis. 

Antithetic Emphasis is that which is employed to show 
a contrast. It occurs only in the rhetorical figure Antithesis, 
hence the name. It is either Expressed or Implied. 

i. Expressed Antithesis. 

In Expressed Antithesis all the terms of contrast appear 
in the sentence. There may be one, two, three, or roen more 
terms in the opposed clauses. Whatever the number they 
must be made strong by Emphasis, 
(i) Examples of Single-term antithesis : — 

11 1 come to bury Caesar, not to praise him." — Shah. 
"Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar." — Ibid. 
"The apparel oft proclaims the man." — Ibid. 
"Neither a borrower nor a lender be." — Ibid. 
"Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers." — Ibid. 



" But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving 
your own selves." — Bible. 

(2) Examples of Double-term antithesis : — 

" He had a fox's cunning, a hyena's heart, and a monkey's 
form." — Halm. 



" Like wrath in death and envy afterwards." — Shah. 

" Benedieh. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher. 

" Beatrice. A bird of my tongue, is better than a beast of 
yours. 

" Bene. I would my horse had the speed of your tongue ; 
and so good a continuer. But keep your way o' God's name ; I 
have done." — Mitch Ado About Nothing, Act I, Scene 1. 



j6 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(3) Examples of Triple-term antithesis : — 

" Kings will be tyrants from policy when subjects are rebels 
from principle." — Burke. 

" In Homer we discern all the Greek vivacity, in Virgil all the 
Roman stateliness." — Blair. 



"You have worked as a statesman for the enemy, I as a 
minister for my country." — Demosthenes. 

(4) Examples in which there are more than three terms 
are rarely found, but Walker gives the following couplet as 
an illustration : — 

"He raised a mortal to the skies: 



She drew an angel down." 

2 . Iynplied A 71 tithesis. 

In Implied Antithesis only a part of the contrast is 
expressed, usually but one member. 

If, for example, we should say, " President Robbins spoke 
against the measure," it is not necessary to add, "not/tfr 
it," because that is implied in the Emphasis. 

In " Innocents Abroad," when the guide exhibits the 
handwriting of Columbus, the Doctor exclaims, "Why, I 
have seen boys in America only fourteen years old that 
could write better than this," the implication is that "this 
was written by a mature person (Columbus) in some other 
country (Europe)." 

Take the couplet from " Young Lochinvar: " — 

" She looked down to blush and she looked up to sigh, 
With a smile on her lip and a tear in her eye." 

"Lip "and "eye" are sometimes erroneously made em- 
phatic. " On her lip " and " in her eye " are not necessary 






EMPHASIS OF SENSE. 77 

to the sense, and when made emphatic the implication is 
that smiles and tears appear some other place. In another 
couplet, in the same selection : — 

" She is won; we are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur, 
They'll have fleet steeds th£t follow, quoth young Lochinvar." 

The word " steeds " is often erroneously given the chief 
Emphasis in the last line. This implies that their pursuers 
might go by train, or coach, or on foot, but would better take 
"steeds;" by making "fleet" the chief word we presuppose 
that his pursuers would go on horseback, and that their 
steeds must be "fleet" ones. 

Jevons in his Logic uses the following as an illustration 
of a semi-logical fallacy, such as implied contrasts often 
prove to be. It seems that all supplied words in the Bible 
are italicised ; it does not follow that they are emphatic. 
The word " him " in the following verse is such a word, and 
it is sometimes erroneously emphasized. The implication 
is at once apparent. 

" And he spake to his sons, saying, ' Saddle me the ass.' And 
they saddled him.'''' — 1 Kings xiii. 27. 

In the sentence, "The doctor and his wife occupied a 
box; the rest of the audience were respectable," if "re- 
spectable" be made emphatic, the implication is that the 
doctor and his wife were not respectable. If "rest" be 
given the emphasis there is no such implication. 

III. Climactic Emphasis. 

Climactic Emphasis is that in which there is an accumu- 
lation or heaping of Emphasis requiring progressive energy. 
When the members of a series rise in gradation each should 
be made stronger than the preceding one, until the climax 
or " key-stone " is reached. This form of Emphasis occurs 



y8 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

only on the rhetorical figure Climax, and hence the name. 
In the following examples the climactic words are under- 
scored. The taste and judgment of the student will indi- 
cate the means of increasing the Emphasis as the series 
progresses. n 

" But while I do live let me have a country, or at least the 
hope of a country, and that a free country . . . All that I 
have, all that I am, all that I hope in this life I am now ready 
here to stake upon it." — Webster. 

" Thou slave, thou wretch, thou coward ! 



Thou little valiant great in villainy ! . . . 

What a fool wert thou, 

A ramping fool, to brag, and stamp, and swear, 

Upon my party ! " King John, Act III, Scene i. 

Marullus. "You blocks, you stones, you worse than 
senseless things ! 



O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, 
Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft 
Have you climbed up to walls and battlements, 
To towers and windows, yea to chimney-tops, 
Your infants in your arms, and there have sat 
The live-long day, with patient expectation 
To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome. 

Be gone ! 
Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, 
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague 
That needs must light on this ingratitude." 

Julius Ccesar, Act I, Scene I. 

" Liberty and union shall spread a civilization from the Occi- 
dent to the Orient — from the flowery shores of the great Southern 



EMPHASIS OF SENSE. 79 

gulf to the frozen barriers of the great Northern bay ! Not in- 
tertwined with slavery, but purged of its contamination ; a civil- 
ization that means universal freedom, universal enfranchisement, 
universal brotherhood. — Phillips. 

"The cold Greenville, the brilliant Townsend, the reckless 
Hillsborough, derided, declaimed, denounced, laid unjust taxes, 
and sent troops to collect them." — Curtiss. 



IV. Suggestions for Applying Emphasis. 

No rules can be laid down as to the parts of speech that 
receive the Emphasis. Any word may become emphatic 
under certain conditions. The following general suggestions, 
however, should be observed in the application of Emphasis : 

i . When a word introduces, or becomes an important 
part of a new idea it becomes emphatic. 

" I claim them for countrymen, one and all ; the Laurenses^ 
the Rutledges, the Pinckneys, the Sumpters, the Marions, Amer- 
icans all, whose fame is no more to be hemmed in by State lines, 
than their talents and patriotism were capable of being circum- 
scribed within the same narrow limits." — Webster. 



2. When ideas are presupposed, or when they have 
been expressed or implied, words re-introducing them, 
unless repeated for Emphasis, remain unemphatic. 

"Yet out of this mixed, and> as you say, despicable mass he 
forged a thunderbolt and hurled it at what? At the proudest 
blood in Europe, the Spaniard, and sent him home conquered ; 
at the most warlike blood in Europe, the French, and put them 
under his feet; at the pluckiest blood in Europe, the English, and 
they skulked home to Jamaica." — Phillips. 

In the above passage the phrase "proudest blood in 
Europe" when first used is emphatic ; when the part "blood 



80 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

in Europe " is repeated in the next clause it is unemphatic 
from having just been expressed, but the word "warlike" 
becomes very emphatic by contrast with "proudest" as 
does "pluckiest" in the clause following. 

In like manner, by implication, "put them under his feet" 
being equivalent to "conquered," remains unemphatic, ex- 
cept the word " them" which is strong by contrast. 



SECTION II. — EMPHASIS OF EMOTION. 

Emphasis of Emotion addresses itself to the heart. It is 
the outgrowth of feeling. We gather the sense of discourse 
from the speaker's Emphasis ; his emotions spring out of 
the thought, and he conveys both sense and emotion in his 
utterance. From this it would seem that we may have 
sense without emotion, but, except with inarticulate cries, 
no emotion without sense. While Emphasis of Emotion gen- 
erally carries with it the sense, it is not always applied to the 
sense words ; there are often emotional words that take the 
chief Emphasis, the sense words receiving neither more nor 
less than their accustomed weight, e. g. in the sentence, 
"Can it be possible?" the most important sense word is 
"possible" the most important emotional word is "can," and 
while both are strong in Emotional Emphasis, " can " takes 
precedence. 

Likewise in the sentence, " How could he be so cruel ? " 
the most important sense word is "cruel," the chief emo- 
tional word is "could" 

Observe the principal emotional words in the following 
sentences : — 

" Must I endure all this ? " 



" Is it come to this ? " 

"Have I not cause enough for anger ? : 

" Would you be so merciless ? " 



EMPHASIS OF EMOTION. 8 1 

Portia. "Then must the Jew be merciful." 
Skylock. " On what compulsion must I ? " 

Shak. 

The above marking represents but one of several ac- 
ceptable renderings by different readers. It will readily be 
seen that Emphasis of Emotion is a " law unto itself," and 
is regulated more by the individuality of the speaker than 
by the construction of language. In no particular do men 
differ more than in their emotional characteristics. Different 
persons will give Emotional Emphasis to different words in 
the same sentence, and so long as such Emphasis keeps 
within the bounds of Emphasis of Sense as indicated in the 
preceding section, it is correct. For instance, in the im- 
passioned words of Patrick Henry's speech : " Gentlemen 
may cry, Peace, peace ! but there is no peace," one speaker 
would make " is " the emotive word, another would em- 
phasize "no" and yet another would give prominence to 
the word "peace" 

Furthermore, the same person under different circum- 
stances will give Emotional Emphasis to different words of 
the same sentence. We quote from the well known Shakes- 
pearian critic, Mrs. Jamison, who in writing of the great 
actress, Mrs. Siddons, says : — 

" In her impersonation of the part of Lady Macbeth, Mrs. 
Siddons adopted three different intonations in giving the words 
1 We fail.' At first, a quick, contemptuous interrogation — We 
fail? Afterwards with the note of admiration — We fail! and 
an accent of indignant astonishment, laying the principal em- 
phasis on the word we — We fail ! Lastly, she fixed on what I 
am convinced is the true reading — We fail. With the simple 
period, modulating her voice to a deep, low, resolute tone, which 
settled the issue at once ; as though she had said, ' If we fail, 
why then we fail, and all is over.' This is consistent with the 
dark fatalism of the character, and the sense of the lines follow- 
ing ; and the effect was sublime, — almost awful." 



82 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Means of Emphasis. — Effects in Emphasis are reached 
by means of the Elements of Vocal Expression and Action, 
which will be treated fully in Parts II. and III. respectively. 
It should be borne in mind that each application of a prin- 
ciple to illustrative material in the following pages is a 
practical Emphasis. 



PART II. 



THE ELEMENTS OF VOCAL EXPRESSION. 

Webster defines an element as "one of the essential 
parts or principles upon which the fundamental powers of 
anything are based." There are certain recognized powers 
of expression in man's voice and action ; if by analysis we 
may resolve these into their essential elements or principles, 
arrange these principles in scientific form for study and 
practice, and by laws of synthesis apply them in the art of 
expression, we may lay claim to a science worthy the place 
it is now taking in the curricula of our best schools and 
colleges. 

Nature is the original source from which we must draw 
our knowledge of applied principles in expression. The 
elements of audible expression are exemplified in Nature 
wherever force produces vibration. The principles of vocal 
expression are heard in Nature whenever sensation or 
thought or emotion is expressed by the vibration of vocal 
ligaments. We hear them in all their varied forms from 
the discordant croak of a frog to the finely attuned notes 
of a Patti. 

There are four generic vocal elements, namely : Quality, 
Force, Pitch and Time. No sound can be uttered that 
does not embody all of these, while in their various 
modifications and combinations every shade of expression 
can be traced. Briefly defined, Quality is the kind of 
sound ; Force is the power with which sound is sent 
forth ; Pitch is the elevation or depression of a sound on the 



84 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

scale ; and Time is the duration of utterance. It will be 
readily seen that all these are absolutely essential to every 
utterance. 

Dr. Rush in his "Philosophy of the Human Voice" 
claims that there is a fifth element which he calls 
Abruptness. This is simply an occlusion of the organs 
previous to the explosive utterance of certain sounds in 
different degrees of Force, and is not essential to all utter- 
ance. As it is but a physical adjustment of the organs 
and not a part of the sound itself, it is no more a vocal 
element than the preparatory act of inhalation or the 
action of the abdominal muscles. Nor does it yield to 
the triune test to which we shall subject the four great 
generic vocal elements. Then for all or any one of these 
reasons we must here depart from the teachings of Dr. Rush. 

On the other hand the ultra Delsartian would admit but 
three generic elements, and perhaps because he has recog- 
nized a fourth (Time) and is unable to classify it, he has 
abandoned the hope of reducing the vocal elements of 
Elocution to the exactness of his talismanic trio. But we 
think his error lies in the fact that he has attempted to 
reduce the materials of vocal expression to a dogmatic 
classification instead of analyzing these materials to find 
their properties for revealing man's triune nature. But 
this same condition confronts him in the study of Action 
to which the Delsarte philosophy is almost exclusively 
applied. The pantomimic agents are not grouped in trios ; 
we have one head, one torso, and four limbs. Further 
subdivision sustains the assertion ; we have two eyes, 
one nose, one mouth, two legs, two feet, two arms, two 
hands, and ten fingers. Delsarte has simply analyzed each 
of these agents of countenance, gesture and attitude, dis- 
covered their expressive zones and movements, and shown 
their correspondence to man's triune nature. He did not 
stop at the foundation of his scientific structure because 



RUSH AND DELS ARTE PHILOSOPHIES. 85 

the materials about him were one, two, five, or ten in 
variety or number and of other forms than his illustrative 
triangle; but like a " master-builder " he gathered up the 
materials at hand, discovered their inherent properties and 
shaped and used them accordingly. 

So in the realm of speech we should not turn aside from 
our investigation because there are four generic elements 
instead of three. "True science never thrusts facts into 
theories, but adapts theories to facts." We have endeavored 
to establish the truth of the triune theory in man's nature 
(p. 8). If this be true, all the facts of expression in elocu- 
tion and oratory that have been recorded by writers from 
Quintillian to the present time will but echo its truth ; while 
on the other hand, all the unproved statements of theorists 
must disappear. 

Then into this triune crucible let us throw the vocal 
elements of the Rush philosophy together with all the dis- 
coveries and statements of more recent writers and teachers, 
and by this experimental test we shall be able to separate 
the true and the false, to cast aside the dross of misstate- 
ment and false opinions and retain the golden truths of 
expression as found in Nature. 



I. — HARMONY OF THE RUSH AND DELSARTE 
PHILOSOPHIES. 

By the triune analysis we have found that each of the four 
generic vocal elements subdivides into three specific di- 
visions that correspond exactly to the threefold division of 
man's nature. Warned by the error, which, according to 
his representatives, Delsarte made in his analysis of the 
agents of action by carrying his triune subdivisions into the 
territory of the purely imaginative and ofttimes wholly unex- 
plainable, we have endeavored to discover the boundary 
line in voice beyond which practical subdivisions must cease. 



86 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

To accomplish this we have made an arbitrary subdivision 
of each specific element and in turn of each subdivision. 
This revealed the fact, which we may here write down as 
a law for future guidance, that as long as an element sub- 
divides into its varieties or kinds, the subdivisions corre- 
spond to man's threefold nature; but when the sub- 
division marks simply the degrees, or parts, or different 
ways of applying the same element the subdivisions must 
find their response to the triune nature only through their 
correspondence to and combination with other elements. 
For instance, the following tabular view of the vocal ele- 
ments (p. 87) shows that the generic element Force sub- 
divides into the specific elements Form, Deg?-ee, and Stress, 
which, we will show, correspond to the Emotive, Vital, and 
Mental natures respectively. The specific element Form 
subdivides into three kinds, and Stress into six kinds, each 
of which, in turn, responds to one of the three divisions of 
man's nature, but the four subdivisions of Degree do not so 
respond. You cannot say that one degree of Force is 
Mental, another Emotive, or another Vital ; they simply 
mark degrees of the same thing, just as six inches or one- 
third of a yard of cloth are not varieties of the cloth but are 
merely measurements of it. 

Likewise the specific subdivisions of Pitch are Degree, 
Change, and Melody which correspond respectively to the 
Vital, Mental and Emotive natures ; but there are five Degrees 
which do not so respond ; two Changes (Concrete and Dis- 
crete) which are but two ways of changing from a lower to 
a higher or from a higher to a lower degree ; and two di- 
visions of Melody (.Current and Cadence) which are but 
parts of the Melody of the whole sentence. These sub- 
divisions, however, reveal some of nature's most active 
agents of expression which limit and measure the range of 
other elements through which, in turn, their response to 
man's triune nature is made manifest. 



RUSH AND DELSARTE PHILOSOPHIES. 8? 

II. — TABULAR VIEW OF THE SUBJECT. 

/ ------ -^Mental „ 

/ .Orotund.,.-----""" *^ % ^ 

//'Oral J\ " " -. 

I. ^ILd -5^^"— _>^ 

lUALlT^:; Falsetto _ <; ;X ~ -->JlAN. 

^X.GutturaL;'' ^--""^ 

\\ Aspirate -V-V.^moti ve -*~"~ 

\ Pectoral.-- -''" 

^Effusive Emotive, 

_ - " \ 

.Form ^ .Expulsive Mental.^ x v 

/ "^-JExplosive Vital— , \\ 

/ \\\ 
/ ^Jmpassioned\ N ^ x 
II. / ,' ...Energetic — \ 
£ 1FORCE/ DEGREE-^r:"' ,, . ^Vi'tal \MAN. 



O 



H 



Moderate.- --•' 



7 



w 1 \ ^Subdued-^' /// 

W 1 \ /'// 

(4 | \ Radical / // 

& I \ ' "-JVlental / // 

I » f ■' ^Compound c -"' , / 

_j / \ /^'" JMedian s > n / / 

<3 / VStress 4r""" ""^Emotive' / 

U / ^— -—Final. . .-> 

O / V>^ X / 

> <^ \ " Thorough. ^YftaL-./ 

O \ ^Intermittent^''' 

CO 

H \ „Very High 

I ^JHigh — _ 

| Degree^::" Middle Jj-^Vital--. 

w / / S N"*^Xow *"*S N > 

X I / ^yery Low' 



III. / .Concrete. 

PITCHv .Change ^^"" """"--^Mental _>MAN. 

* -Discrete — -"■" * / 

\ _ -Current ~_ /' 

\Melodyu c --' ~ - ->^Emotive^ 

"""-*—.■. Xadence. ,-— ~ " 

^Long_ — 

Quantity^:''.. Medium Ll^Emotive^ 

/' ^-JShort "'" 

IV. / 
TIME/ Pause Rhetorical _Mental ^MAN. 

\ ,_Rate _ S* 

v Movement<'' . ~~-^.Vital /' 

---■.Rhythm,--- 



88 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

From a logical standpoint the further discussion of these 
facts must be reserved for the treatment of each element in 
its due order. The preceding diagrams, however, from the 
standpoint of the divisions and subdivisions of the elements 
will give a bird's-eye view of the whole subject ; and we 
trust that the discussions which follow will establish the har- 
mony of the Rush and Delsarte philosophies. 






CHAPTER L — QUALITY. 

The generic, vocal element Quality is the kind or 
character of voice. The French timbre (stamp) and the 
German klang-farbe (tone-color) are used by some writers to 
define Quality. When we speak of the quality of cloth we 
mean the kind of material regardless of its color, size, or 
shape ; so the Quality of voice means the kind of voice 
independent of its modulation, the intensity with which it 
is given, or the length of time it is continued. 

By Quality we most readily distinguish voices ; we soon 
learn to know a person by the sound of his voice. A 
number of persons may sing in concert the same succession 
of notes, using the same time and loudness, but we may 
easily distinguish the individual voices by their Quality. 
A half dozen different kinds of musical instruments may be 
attuned to play the same selection in perfect harmony, but 
the Quality of the flute or violin is different from that of a 
cornet or a violoncello. These differences are due to the 
size and shape of the musical instruments ; so the slightest 
difference in the size, shape, and physical condition of the 
vocal organs or cavities makes a difference in the Quality 
of human voices. Nature has established a line of demar- 
cation between the male and female voices which no art 
should attempt to break down. As the child grows into 
youth and youth into manhood his voice changes, and as 
old age creeps on, his 

" big manly voice 
Turning again toward childish treble, pipes 
And whistles in his sound." 

Every human being at any period of life has naturally 
one predominant Quality and seven other distinct Qualities 



90 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

in different stages of development. In the eight Qualities 
with their various blendings and their combinations with 
other elements he expresses his whole range of thought 
and emotion. 

I. RESONANCE. 

A distinguishing characteristic of each Quality is its 
Resonance. As this term is used in the definitions which 
follow, it should be explained here. Helmholtz defines 
Resonance as " the strengthening or reinforcing of a sound." 

Resonance is produced by the vibration of a body of air 
enclosed or partly enclosed in some cavity, or by the re- 
inforcing vibrations of some contiguous body. For instance 
vibrations are created by the projection of breath at the 
proper angle into the embouchure of a flute ; these vibrations 
are re-enforced by reflection from its inner surface until the 
whole instrument vibrates and gives forth sound waves in 
the peculiar Quality of the flute. We strike the keys and set 
the strings of a piano to vibrating ; this vibration is inten- 
sified by the co-vibration of the sounding-board located 
in the resonant cavity, and we hear the peculiar Quality 
of the piano. So the human voice has its primary vibrative 
medium in the vocal cords, its secondary reinforcing vibra- 
tive material in the bones and cartilages of the chest, throat, 
and head, and its various resonant cavities, also in the 
chest, throat, and head (p. 14), in which we locate the eight 
Qualities of voice. 

II. DIVISIONS AND DIAGRAMS. 

The Qualities of voice, in the order treated in this volume, 
are : (1) Normal, (2) Orotund, (3) Oral, (4) Aspirate, (5) 
Guttural, (6) Pecto?-al, (7) Nasal, and (8) Falsetto. 

As impression should always precede expression, and the 
natural direction of expression is from within out, we will 
reverse the order of the diagrams on page 87 as we consider 



QUALITY. 91 

each element. For Quality this gives us the following dia- 
gram : — 

__^Normal — ,. 

II.._MenTAI., -;- """ N „ 

"" .-.Orotund,^ *% % 

^"' _Oral ^\ 

MAN /_ I.ViTAL^--'" XT , ~~ ~---_^QUALITY 

(as a Psychic **<•-" 7 Nasal J- 'XT (a & enenc 

Being) \ x O~--. .-"V'-vocal element) 

\ X ^---TFalsetto-.^-'' ,'// 

\ ^-GutturaL^' // 

tfll. Emotive, -.tzlZ Aspirate./- / 

'"""----.Pectoral-/ 

Here we have a beautiful harmony between the Psychic 
Being and a Generic Vocal Element through which this 
Being seeks to express itself. From the standpoint of man 
we hear the Quality of Nature's voice, for example, in the 
prattle of children. Our analysis classifies this Quality 
as the specific Normal; through this Normal we receive 
Mental impressions ; thus if we wish to convey our purely 
mental impressions unstirred by unusual vitality or emotion 
we must use our Normal Quality. Again, suppose the 
Quality of Nature's voice is Pectoral, such as is heard in the 
low rumbling sounds of distant cannon or of a gathering 
storm. These sounds stir the emotive nature and convey 
through the law of correspondence the impression of deepest 
sublimity or awe: then when we give utterance to the deepest 
sublimity or awe in expression we should use our Pectoral 
Quality, because our voice should correspond with our 
psychic state. By this course of investigation and reason- 
ing we may evolve a profounder philosophy of expression 
than a mere record of the accepted truths of Elocution. 

It will be observed that the Orotund and the Guttural 
Qualities occupy the pivotal points in the scale upon which 
the triune natures turn. The reasons for this will be fully 
shown in the discussions which follow. It should also be 
remembered that each Quality responds in different degrees 



92 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

and proportions to the three states of Being, but in the 
above table they are arranged according to the nature 
which leads (see p. 14). More exact lines will be drawn 
when we combine the Qualities with the modifying elements 
of Force, Pitch, and Time. 



SECTION I.— NORMAL QUALITY. 

I. Definition and Use. 

The Normal (from norma, rule) is the ordinary, pre- 
dominant, characteristic Quality peculiar to each indi- 
vidual. It is the natural basis upon which all the other 
Qualities rest, each of which is some modification of or 
variation from the Normal. The typical Normal is pure and 
the resonance is in the upper and back part of the mouth. 

Because the perfection of this Quality is purity it is sometimes 
called Pure To7ie, but a pure Normal is the exception rather than 
the rule. A speaker's Normal Quality may be very harsh and im- 
pure yet it is no less his Normal tone bearing the stamp of his 
peculiar characteristics. It is also erroneously called Natural, 
by some writers, but this implies that the other Qualities are un- 
natural ; they are all natural when rightly used and unnatural when 
wrongly used. Accepting the word in its more specific sense as 
used in science, we have ventured to name this Quality the Normal. 

The Normal belongs to the Mental division of man's triune 
nature, and is the Quality by which we express our normal 
thoughts and feelings, such as conversation, didactic thought, 
joy, or mild pathos, when the body is in a normal condition 
and the mind is not agitated by any unusual restraint or 
strong emotion. It is heard in Nature in the rippling 
brook, the song of birds, the prattle and laughter of chil- 
dren, and the ordinary conversation of all people in all 



NORMAL QUALITY. 93 

nations. To acquire or improve this purity the student 
should try to convert the stream of air into tone by a 
clear, smooth, even vibration of the vocal cords, and with 
an exact and unobstructed reflection from the hard palate. 
Conform to these conditions and practice on the tonics 
(p. 45), and the following : — 

II. Illustrative Selections. 

1 

[Note. — When the illustrative selection contains a great predominance of 
the elements under consideration the lines will not be underscored; but when 
a few words of the selection illustrate the particular element they will be marked 
by an underscored line.J 

From MACBETH. Act I, Scene VI. 

Duncan. This castle hath a pleasant seat ; the air 
Nimbly and sweetly recommends itself 
Unto our gentle senses. 

Banquo. The guest of summer, 

The temple-haunting martlet, does approve, 
By his lov'd mansionry, that the heaven's breath 
Smells wooingly here : no jutty, frieze, 
Buttress, nor coigne of vantage, but this bird hath made 
His pendent bed, and procreant cradle : 
Where they most breed and haunt, I have observ'd, 
The air is delicate. 

Shakespeare. 

From HISTORY. v 

-\At the dawn of civilization, when men began to observe and 
think, they found themselves in possession of various faculties, — 
first their five senses, and then imagination, fancy, reason, and 
memory. They did not distinguish one from the other. They 
did not know why one idea of which they were conscious should 
be more true than another. They looked around them in con- 
tinual surprise, conjecturing fantastic explanations of all they 
saw and heard. Their trad'tions and their theories blended one 
into another, and their cosmogonies, their philosophies, and their 
histories are all alike imaginative and poetical. It was never 



94 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

perhaps seriously believed as a scientific reality that the Sun was 
the chariot of Apollo, or that Saturn had devoured his children, 
or that Siegfred had been bathed in the dragon's blood, or that 
earthquakes and volcanoes were caused by buried giants, who 
were snorting and tossing in their sleep ; but also it was not 
disbelieved. — Janies Anthony Fronde. 



From A LEGEND OF BREGENZ. 

Girt round with rugged mountains the fair Lake Constance lies, 
In her blue heart reflected, shine back the starry skies ; 
And, watching each white cloudlet float silently and slow, 
You think a piece of Heaven lies on our Earth below ! 

Midnight is there ; and silence, enthroned in heaven, looks down 

Upon her own calm mirror, upon a sleeping town : 

For Bregenz, that quaint city upon the Tyrol shore, 

Has stood above Lake Constance a thousand years and more. 

Her battlements and towers, upon their rocky steep, 
Have cast their trembling shadows for ages on the deep ; 
Mountain, and lake, and valley a sacred legend know, 
Of how the town was saved one night, three hundred years ago. 

Adelaide A. Proctor. 



SECTION II.— OROTUND QUALITY. 
I. Definition and Use. 

The Orotund (named by Dr. Rush from os, the mouth, 
and rotundus, round, smooth) is a strong, clear, voluminous 
Quality with the resonance in the upper part of the chest. 
It has the purity of the Normal but is deeper in resonance l 

1 The student should distinguish between change of resonance and 
a mere change of Pitch. Different resonances may be reached on the 
same degree of Pitch and vice versa. The Orotund is most easily pro- 
duced in the low or very low Pitch, but it ranges also into the very high. 



OROTUND QUALITY. 95 

and is greater in volume and strength. The Orotund is 
illustrated in the low, deep tones of the pipe organ, the 
roar of the ocean, or the booming of distant cannon. Our 
diagram (p. 91) shows this as one of the pivotal Qualities 
responding to the Vital as well as to the Mental nature. 
In expression it always conveys the impression of intense 
mentality, and at the same time it is the strongest of the 
eight Qualities. The predominance of either the Mental or 
Vital in this Quality depends upon the particular sentiment 
to be expressed, as will be shown when we combine it with 
the other elements which modify it. 

The Orotund is used to express thoughts and emotions of a 
solemn, dignified and lofty nature, such as reverence, grandeur, 
patriotism, and courage. This Quality, so capable of culti- 
vation and development in the human voice, adds greatly 
to the powers of a speaker who would reach his oratorical 
climaxes, and inspire his audience to action. 

To produce the Orotund open wide the cavities of the 
mouth, pharynx, larynx, and chest, and so project and reflect 
the sound that it shall be clear and full, and shall be re- 
inforced especially by the vibration of the bones of the 
chest. For this exercise use the tonics, and words containing 
a predominance of tonics, and continuant subtonics (pp. 45 and 
46). Be careful not to strain or over-tax the vocal organs, 
keep in mind grand and lofty sentiments such as are found 
in the following selections, and the Orotund will soon be- 
come as easy of execution as the Normal. 

II. Illustrative Selections. 

From APOSTROPHE TO THE OCEAN. 

Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean, roll ! 
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain ; 
Man marks the earth with ruin, — his control 
Stops with the shore ; upon the watery plain, 



g6 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

The wrecks are all thy deed, nor doth remain 

A shadow of man's ravage, save his own, 

When for a moment, like a drop of rain, 

He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groan, 

Without a grave, unknell'd, uncoffin'd, and unknown. 

Byron. 

From GOD'S FIRST TEMPLES. 

Father, thy hand 
Hath reared these venerable columns : Thou 
Didst weave this verdant roof. Thou didst look down 
Upon the naked earth, and forthwith rose 
All these fair ranks of trees. They in Thy sun 
Budded, and shook their green leaves in Thy breeze, 
And shot toward heaven. The century-living crow, 
Whose birth was in their tops, grew old and died 
Among their branches, till at last they stood, 
As now they stand, massy and tall and dark, 
Fit shrine for humble worshipper to hold 
Communion with his Maker. Bryant. 

From OUR DUTIES TO THE REPUBLIC. 

We stand the latest, — and, if we fail, probably the last, — 
experiment of self-government by the people. We have begun 
it under circumstances of the most auspicious nature. We are 
in the vigor of youth. Our growth has never been checked by 
the oppressions of tyranny. Our constitutions have never been 
enfeebled by the vices or luxuries of the old world. Such as we 
are, we have been from the beginning, — simple, hardy, intelligent, 
accustomed to self-government and to self-respect. The Atlantic 
rolls between us and any formidable foe. Within our own terri- 
tory, stretching through many degrees of latitude and longitude, 
we have the choice of many products and many means of inde- 
pendence. The government is mild. The Press is free. Religion 
is free. Knowledge reaches or may reach every home. What 
fairer prospect of success could be presented? What means 
more adequate to accomplish the sublime end? What more is 
necessary than for the people to preserve what they have them- 



ORAL QUALITY. 97 

selves created? Already has the age caught the spirit of our 
institutions. It has already ascended the Andes, and snuffed the 
breezes of both oceans. It has infused itself into the life-blood 
of Europe, and warmed the sunny plains of France and the low- 
lands of Holland. It has touched the philosophy of Germany 
and the North ; and, moving onward to the South, has opened to 
Greece the lessons of her better days. Can it be that America, 
under such circumstances, can betray herself? Can it be that 
she is to be added to the catalogue of republics, the inscription 
upon whose ruins is : " They were, but they are not " ? Forbid 
it, my countrymen ! Forbid it, Heaven ! — Judge Story. 



SECTION III. — ORAL QUALITY. 

I. Definition and Use. 

The Oral (from os, the mouth) is a thin, weak, shallow- 
Quality with the resonance in the front part of the mouth. 

It is so feeble that it comes apparently from the lips and is 
diametrically opposite to the Orotund in strength, resonance 
and significance. It is, as the word signifies, a mouth tone, 
and has but little re-inforcing vibration. It is produced by 
a weak projection of breath, a feeble vibration of the vocal 
cords, and a shallowness of the resonant cavities. When 
made very low, it should not be confounded with the Pectoral, 
or when very high, with the Falsetto. 

This Quality is omitted in Dr. Rush's Philosophy, and it 
is further confused by other writers with the Aspirate and 
Pectoral. It plainly belongs to the Vital class of Qualities 
as it marks the least degree of vitality used in expression, 
just as the Orotund marks the strongest. When the Vital 
nature of a person is at its lowest ebb the Oral Quality is 
the physical result. 

The Oral is illustrated in nature by the voice of any 
animal when exhausted by sickness or fatigue. Even a 



98 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

little child knows when his canary bird is sick by its thin 
Oral chirp. 

In expression the Oral is generally used only in an im- 
personative sense and indicates timidity, i?idifference, languor, 
fatigue, ox feebleness. Like other Qualities it becomes a fault 
when wrongly used and as such it should be avoided. 
Read with Oral Quality the first, second, and the under- 
scored parts of the third illustration below. 

II. Illustrative Selections. 

From AS YOU LIKE IT. Act II, Scene 6. 

Adam. Dear master, I can go no further : O, I die for food ! 
Here lie I down, and measure out my grave. Farewell, kind 
master. — Shakespeare. 

From WOUNDED. 

I am dying ; bend down, till I touch you once more ; 
Don't forget me, old fellow : God prosper this war ! 
Confusion to enemies ! — keep hold of my hand, — 
And float our dear flag o'er a prosperous land ! 
Where's Wilson, — my comrade, — here, stoop down 

your head ; 
Can't you say a short prayer for the dying and dead ? 

William E. Miller. 

From THE FAMINE . 
In the wigwam with Nokomis, 
With those gloomy guests that watch'd her, 
With the Famine and the Fever, 
She was lying, the beloved, 
She, the dying Minnehaha. 
" Hark ! " she said, " I hear a rushing, 
Hear a roaring and a rushing, 
Hear the Falls of Minnehaha 
Calling to me from a distance ! " 



ASPIRATE QUALITY. 99 

" No, my child ! " said old Nokomis, 
"'Tis the night-wind in the pine-trees." 
" Look ! " she said, " I see my father 
Standing lonely at his door-way, 

Beckoning to me from his wigwam 



In the land of the Dacotahs." 

" No, my child ! " said old Nokomis^.. 

" 'Tis the smoke that waves and beckons." 

" Ah ! " she said, " the eyes of Pauguk 

Glare upon me in the darkness, 

I can feel his icy fingers 

Clasping mine amid the darkness ! 

Hiawatha ! Hiawatha ! " 

Longfellow. 



SECTION IV. — ASPIRATE QUALITY. 

I. Definition and Use. 

The Aspirate (from aspiro, to breathe) is a breathy, 
whispered Quality. The resonance varies according to 
the position of the organs and the distended and relaxed 
condition of the resonant cavities. The breath may be 
partly vocalized or wholly unvocalized. 

In ordinary respiration the passage of the breath through 
the trachea, larynx, mouth and nasal cavities is inaudible ; 
but in the Aspirate Quality the organs approximate the 
position of vocalization, though the vocal cords are with- 
held from vibrating. The sound is produced by the vibra- 
tion of the false vocal cords and the mucous membrane of 
the throat and mouth, and by the peculiar reflection given 
the stream of air by the position of the vocal organs. 
Dependent upon the intensity with which the breath is sent 
forth, this Quality varies from the gentlest whisper, ex- 



IOO PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

pressing the merest secrecy or caution, to the strong, breathy, 
half-vocalized sounds heard in strong passion or vehemence. 

This Quality evidently belongs to the Emotive class. It 
always gives the impression of some restraint or emotion. 
Strong emotion, such as that engendered by fear, often 
exerts for the time a paralyzing effect upon the true vocal 
cords so that they do not vibrate. This fact is recognized 
in the common expression, " I was so frightened I couldn't 
speak." We hear the "windy suspiration of forced breath" 
when the intensity of emotion forces out more breath than 
can be vocalized. 

In Nature we hear the Aspirate in the escape of steam, 
the whispering wind, and the hissing sound of the active 
volcano. The language of these sounds is unmistakable, 
and it accords with the correct use of this Quality. 

The Aspirate of the human voice is easily produced, and 
when practiced judiciously gives economy of breath. Prac- 
tice on the atonic sounds (p. 45) and on appropriate selec- 
tions in Aspirate Quality, with different degrees of intensity, 
allowing as little expenditure of breath as possible. Care 
should be taken not to dry the organs by too continuous 
inhalation or to practice this Quality too long at a time. 
After each exercise go through the mechanical act of swal- 
lowing to restore the mucous membrane to its normal con 
dition. The audibility of the Aspirate is greatly augmented 
by a very distinct and accurate articulation. Give all of 
the first and the underscored parts of the second selection 
in Aspirate Quality. 

II. Illustrative Selections. 

From MACBETH. Act II, Scene i. 
Lady Macbeth. I hear a knocking 

At the south entry : retire we to our chamber. 
A little water clears us of this deed : 
How easy is it, then ! Your constancy 



GUTTURAL QUALITY. 

Hath left you unattended. 

Get on your nightgown, lest occasion call us, 

And show us to be watchers. Be not lost 

So poorly in your thoughts. Shakespeare. 

From DARIUS GREEN AND HIS FLYING-MACHINE. 

" Hush !" Reuben said, "he's up in the shed ! 
He's open'd the winder, — I see his head ! 
He stretches it out, an' pokes it about, 
Lookin' to see 'f the coast is clear, 

An' nobody near ; — 
Guess he don'o' who's hid in here ! 
He's riggin' a spring-board over the sill ! 
Stop laffin', Solomon ! Burke, keep still ! 
He's a climbin' out now — Of all the things ! 



What's he got on ? I van, it's wings ! 

An' that t'other thing ? I vum, it's a tail ! 

An' there he sets like a hawk on a rail ! 

Steppin' careful, he travels the length 

Of his spring-board, and teeters to try its strength. 

Now he stretches his wings, like a monstrous bat ; 

Peeks over his shoulder, this way an' that, 

Fur to see 'f the' 's anyone passin' by, 

But the' 's only a calf an' a goslin' nigh. 

They turn up at him a wonderin' eye, 

To see — The dragon ! he's goin' to fly ! 

Trowbridge. 



SECTION V. — GUTTURAL QUALITY. 
I. Definition and Use. 

The Guttural (from guttur, throat) is a harsh, throaty, 
impure Quality with the resonance in the upper part of 
the throat. It is directly the opposite of a typical Normal 



102 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

in purity and significance. It is produced by forcing the 
current of "vibratory air" through a contracted, tense 
position of the vocal organs, in which, as Dr. Rush explains, 
"the sides of the larynx and the base of the tongue are 
apparently brought in contact above the glottis." The 
re-inforcing vibration is confined almost exclusively to the 
false vocal cords, and the mucous membrane of those parts 
of the throat and mouth involved. It will be seen that this 
rigid condition of the vocal organs is in harmony with that 
of the whole body when under the Emotive and Vital 
influences that actuate this Quality. 

The Guttural in Nature is heard in the cry of an angry 
bird, the voice of an angry child, the snarl of an angry dog, 
the growl of an infuriated tigress, or the crash of a violent 
storm. It is the natural expression of any malignant passion 
or emotion, such as contempt, scorn, hatred or revenge. We 
should hate the false as well as love the true and beautiful ; 
we cannot fully express hatred without using this Quality. 

The Guttural is a medium through which two natures, the 
Vital and the Emotive, manifest themselves ; the predomi- 
nance of either depends upon the particular emotion. For 
instance, in scorn or reve?ige, perhaps the Emotive leads ; while 
in violent hate or rage great vitality is added to the Emotive, 
and the physical powers are strung to their utmost tension. 

For development of this Quality practice on the tonics 
and words expressing the malignant emotions and passions. 
When practiced with reasonable moderation, at proper in- 
tervals, and with a hearty appreciation of its significance, 
the Guttural is very strengthening to the vocal organs ; 
it gives great power to certain strong personation, and 
oratorical invective. It should not be given on every word 
of a sentence unless every word expresses malignant feeling, 
which is rarely the case. It is to be applied only to those 
words which embody the sentiment. The Guttural placed 
upon the underscored words in the following selections will 



GUTTURAL QUALITY. IO3 

represent but one of many conceptions of these lines. This 
marking is offered by way of suggestion to the student. 

II. Illustrative Selections. 

From CATILINE'S DEFIANCE. 

" Traitor ! " I go ; but, I return ! This — trial ! 
Here I devote your Senate ! I've had wrongs 
To stir a fever in the blood of age, 
Or make the infant's sinews strong as steel. 
This day's the birth of sorrow ; this hour's work 
Will breed proscriptions ! Look to your hearths, my Lords ! 
For there, henceforth, shall sit, for household gods, 
Shapes hot from Tartarus ; all shames and crimes ; 
Wan Treachery, with his thirsty dagger drawn ; 
Suspicion, poisoning his brother's cup ; 
Naked Rebellion, with the torch and axe, 




Making his wild sport of your blazing thrones ; 
Till Anarchy comes down on you like night, 
And Massacre seals Rome's eternal grave. 

From OTHELLO. 

Oth. O, that the slave had forty thousand lives, 
One is too poor, too weak for my revenge ! 
Now do I see 'tis true. — Look here, Iago ; 
All my fond love thus I do blow to heaven : 
'Tis gone. — 

Arise, black vengeance, from thy hollow cell ! 
Yield up, O love, thy crown, and hearted throne, 
To tyrannous hate ! swell, bosom, with thy fraught, 
For 'tis of aspics' tongues ! 

Iago. Pray, be content. 

Oth. O, blood, Iago, blood ! 



Shakespeare. 



104 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

SECTION VI. — PECTORAL QUALITY. 

I. Definition and Use. 

The Pectoral (from pectus, the breast) is a deep, hollow, 
sepulchral Quality with the resonance in the lower part 
of the chest. This is a much misunderstood Quality. 
Because it resembles other Qualities, some writers, includ- 
ing Dr. Rush, have excluded it altogether ; but we hold that 
it is a distinct Quality, characteristic of sentiments not 
expressed by any of the other Qualities. It is similar to 
the Orotund because of the enlarged size of the resonance 
chamber, but it is lower in resonance and admits of less 
Force and purity ; it resembles the Oral in lack of strength, 
but these two Qualities are the opposite in resonance, and 
different in range of Pitch ; it also resembles the Aspirate in 
its lack of vocality, and in its significance of secrecy and 
suppression, but, unlike the Aspirate it always has an audible 
vibration of the true vocal cords, and the position of the 
vocal organs is different in these Qualities. In his definitions 
of the Guttural and Pectoral a recent writer interchanges the 
resonance of these two Qualities, but the derivation of the 
words would seem to indicate that this is an error. The 
significance of each is essentially different ; the Guttural is 
aggressive, the Pectoral is defensive. 

The Pectoral belongs to the Emotive division, and is 
never used except when the Emotive Nature is strongly 
stirred. Its significance is unmistakable in the lowest notes 
of a large pipe-organ, and in the low rumbling sounds of the 
earthquake, the active volcano, or a gathering storm. 

We use the Pectoral to express those sentiments and emo- 
tions inspired by the majestic, the awful, or the supernatural, 
such as awe, deepest reverence, and sublimity. Many of the sub- 
limest passages of the Bible and the highest dramatic and 
oratorical effects can be expressed only in this Quality. 



PECTORAL QUALITY. IO5 

The Pectoral is produced by opening the glottis as wide 
as will admit of vocalization, and so projecting the breath 
that the re-inforcing vibrations shall be confined to the soft, 
spongy parts of the lungs and the bones and cartilages of 
the lower chest. If the student will take a full inhalation, 
give a gentle, continuous Orotund, then open the glottis 
more widely allowing the escape of more breath, and a deeper 
resonance, and finally run this Quality into a simple Aspirate, 
he will have produced the distinct Quality of Pectoral 
between the Orotund and the Aspirate. 

Practice in Pectoral the tonics : a (as in arm), a (in all), 
(in old), and ou (as in our), and such words as express the 
sentiments appropriate to this Quality. 

II. Illustrative Selections. 

From GENESIS. Ch. 2S, vs. 16-17. 

And Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the 
Lord is in this place, and I knew it not. 

And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place ! this 
is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of 
heaven. 

From APPEAL IN BEHALF OF IRELAND. 

Famine, gaunt and ghastly famine, has seized a nation with its 
strangling grasp. . . . Alas, for poor human nature ! how can it 
sustain this fearful warfare ? Day by day the blood recedes, the 
flesh deserts, the muscles relax, and the sinews grow powerless. 
At last the mind, which at first had bravely nerved itself against 
the contest, gives way under the mysterious influences which 
govern its union with the body. Then the victim begins to doubt 
the existence of an overruling Providence. He hates his fellow- 
men, and glares upon them with the longing of a cannibal ■ and, 
it may be, dies blaspheming. — S. S. Prentiss. 



106 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

From MACBETH. Act II, Scene i. 
Macb. Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready, 
She strike upon the bell. Get thee to bed. — [Exit Servant. 
Is this a dagger which I see before me, 
The handle toward my hand ? Come, let me clutch thee. 
I have thee not, and yet I see thee still. 
Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible 
To feeling as to sight? or art thou but 
A dagger of the mind, a false creation, 
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain ? 
I see thee yet, in form as palpable 
As this which now I draw. 



Thou marshall'st me the way that I was going ; 
And such an instrument I was to use. 
Mine eyes are made the fools o' the other senses, 
Or else worth all the rest : I see thee still : 



And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood, 
Which was not so before. — There's no such thing : 



It is the bloody business which informs 

Thus to mine eyes. — Now o'er the one half world 

Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse 

The curtain'd sleep ; now witchcraft celebrates 

Pale Hecate's offerings ; and wither'd murder, 

Alarum'd by his sentinel, the wolf, 

Whose howl's his watch, thus with his stealthy pace, 

With Tarquin's ravishing strides, towards his design 

Moves like a ghost. — Thou sure and firm set earth, 

Hear not my steps which way they walk, for fear 

Thy very stones prate of my whereabout, 

And take the present horror from the time, 

Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives : 

Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives. 

[A bell rings. 



NASAL QUAL] IV. 107 



I go, and it is clone ; the bell invites me. — 
Hear it not, Duncan ; for it is a knell 
That summons thee to Heaven or to I Ml. 



Shakespean . 



SFXTION VII. — NASAL QUALITY. 

I. Definition and Use. 

The Nasal (from nasus, the nose) is an impure, twanging 
Quality with the resonance in the front nasal cavities. 

The student should distinguish between the Nasal Quality 
and a mere obstruction of the nasal passages. The Nasal 
may be produced by forcing the air through the nose as well 
as by lessening the due proportion which should pass 
through. It is made by lowering the soft palate, and pro- 
jecting the column of vocalized air at such an angle that it 
passes beyond the posterior nasal cavities, enters the nostrils 
and finds its re-inforcing vibrations in the front nasal cavi- 
ties. The Nasal belongs to the Vital division. It is due 
primarily to defects in the size or shape, or to the diseased 
condition of the nasal cavities, and secondarily to the 
imitation of these defects, and the careless habits of speech 
superinduced by a spirit of drollery or burlesque. When 
wrongly used and allowed to tinge the other Qualities with 
its physical impurities it becomes one of the most disagree- 
able defects in Quality. As an acquired fault it may be 
cured by any exercise that will enlarge the nasal cavities, 
and establish the habit of forcing the vocal stream at the 
proper angle and in the right proportion through the nose. 
We hear the Nasal in the lazy call of the street peddler, 
in the wheezing tones of an imperfect bag-pipe, and in the 
discordant braying of the donkey; these give the impression 
of a lack of exerted vitality, and the comical situations 
arising therefrom awaken in us a sense of the droll and 



IOS PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

ludicrous. The Nasal in Elocution is used in an imper- 
sonative sense to express laziness, mimicry, bicrlesque, drollery, 
irony, sneer, etc. 

II. Illustrative Selections. 

From KING HENRY IV.— Part First. Act II, Scene 4. 

Prince. What trick, what device, what starting-hole, canst 
thou now find out to hide thee from this open and apparent 
shame ? 

Poi?itz. Come, let's hear, Jack; what trick hast thou now? 

Falstaff. By the Lord, I knew ye as well as he that made ye. 
Why, hear ye, my masters: Was it for me to kill the heir-apparent? 
Should I turn upon the true Prince ? — Shakespeare. 

From DARIUS GREEN AND HIS FLYING-MACHINE. 

" The birds can fly, an' why can't I ? 

Must we give in," says he with a grin, 

"That the bluebird an' phcebe are smarter'n we be? 

Jest fold our hands, an' see the swaller, 

An' blackbird an' catbird beat us holler? 

Does the little chatterin', sassy wren, 

No bigge'rn my thumb, know more than men ? 

Jest show me that ! ur prove 't the bat 

Hez got more brains than's in my hat, 

An" I'll back down, an' not till then ! " 

He argued further : " Nur I can't see 

What's th' use o' wings to a bumble-bee, 

Fur to git a livin' with, more'n to me ; — 

Ain't my business important's his'n is ? 

That Icarus made a pretty muss, — ■ 

Him an' his daddy Daedalus ; 

They might 'a' know'd that wings made o' wax 

Wouldn't stand sun-heat an' hard whacks : 

I'll make mine o' luther, ur suthin' ur other." 

And he said to himself, as he tinker'd and plann'd, 



FALSETTO QUALITV. IOQ, 



" But I ain't goin' to show my hand 
To nummies that never can understand 
The fust idee that's big an' grand." 



Trowbridge* 



SECTION VIII.— FALSETTO QUALITY. 

I. Definition and Use. 

The Falsetto (from falsus, false) is a pure, shrill, pene- 
trating Quality ranging above the ordinary Pitch, with 
the resonance in the upper part of the pharynx. It is 

literally the false voice, "beginning," Dr. Rush states, "where 
the natural voice breaks, or out-runs its compass ; " yet in 
Pitch it overlaps and ranges lower than the highest notes 
of the ordinary compass. 

Much has been written from the singer's standpoint, 
regarding the position and action of the vocal organs in 
the production of this Quality ; but for the purposes of 
speech perhaps it is sufficient to know that the uvula and 
soft palate are raised, the tonsils are drawn more closely- 
together, the vibrations of the true vocal cords are regular 
and even and limited to their thin edges only and to a 
small portion of their length, and the sound is so projected 
that the re-inforcing vibrations are confined to the upper 
part of the pharynx. 

The habit of allowing other Qualities to break into the 
Falsetto is a serious fault which should be corrected by 
vocal culture guided by correct knowledge of the right use 
and the abuse of this Quality. 

Illustrations of the Falsetto may be heard in the scream 
of a frightened child, the cry of a whipped clog, or the 
excited cheer of a political party. This Quality plainly 
belongs to the Vital division, and is used to express 
any condition of excitability which overcomes the free vi- 



I IO PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

bration of the whole length of the vocal cords, such as 
great excitement, fright, yelling, screaming or excessive emphasis. 
It is also used in various kinds of calling. 

II. Illustrative Selections. 

From HOW WE HUNTED A MOUSE. 

I was dozing comfortably in my easy chair, and dreaming of 
the good times which I hope are coming, when there fell upon 
my ear a most startling scream. It was the voice of my Maria 
Ann. The voice came from the kitchen, and to the kitchen I 
rushed. The idolized form of my Maria was perched upon a 
chair, and she was flourishing an iron spoon in all directions, and 
shouting " shoo " in a general manner at everything in the room. 
To my anxious inquiries as to what was the matter, she screamed, 
"O! Joshua, a mouse, shoo — shoo — , a great, horrid mouse, 
and she — ew, it ran right out of the cupboard — shoo — go 
away — O, Joshua — shoo — kill it, oh, my — shoo!" — Joshtca 
Jenkins. 

From JIMMY BUTLER AND THE OWL. 

Just then I heard somebody a long way off say, " Whip poor 
Will!" "Bedad," sez I, "I'm glad it isn't Jamie that's got to 
take it, though it seems it's more in sorrow than in anger they 
are doin' it, or why should they say, < poor Will ' ? an' sure they 
can't be Injun, haythin, or naygur, for it's plain English they're 
afther spakin'. Maybe they might help me out o' this," so I 
shouted at the top of me voice, " A lost man ! " Thin I listened. 
Prisently an answer came. 

" Who ! Whoo ! Whooo ! " 

"Jamie Butler, the waiver!" sez I, as loud as I could roar, 
an', snatchin' up me bundle an' stick, I started in the direction 
of the voice. Whin I thought I had got near the place, I stopped 
an' shouted again, " A lost man ! " 



THE VOCAL CULTURE OF QUALITY. Ill 

"Who ! Whoo ! Whooo !" said a voice right over my head. 

"Sure," thinks I, "it's a mighty quare place for a man to be 
at this time of night ; maybe it's some settler scrapin' sugar off 
a sugar-bush for the children's breakfast in the mornin'. But 
where's Will and the rest of them ? " All this wint through me 
head like a flash, an' thin I answered his inquiry. 

"Jamie Butler, the waiver," sez I, "an', if it wouldn't incon- 
vanience yer Honour, would yez be kind enough to step down an' 
show me the way to the house of Dennis O'Dowd ? " 

" Who ! Whoo ! Whooo ! " sez he. 

"Dennis O'Dowd," sez I, civil enough, "an' a dacent man he 
is, and first cousin to me own mother." 

" Who ! Whoo ! Whooo ! " says he again. 

" Me mother ! " sez I, " an' as fine a woman as iver peeled a 
biled pratie wid her thumb nail, an' her maiden name was Molly 
McFiggin." 

" Who ! Whoo ! Whooo ! " 

" Paddy McFiggin ! " bad luck to yer deaf ould head, Paddy 
McFiggin, I say, — do ye hear that?" — Anon. 



SECTION IX. — VOCAL CULTURE OF QUALITY. 

The best way to acquire or cultivate a good Quality of 
voice is to practice in all the Qualities, giving to each that 
proportion of time most suitable to the individual needs of 
the student. This proportion should be made by careful 
test and observation on the part of both teacher and student. 
Arrange and give sounds, words, and appropriate sentences 
in each of the Qualities, the whole exercise to consume 
ten or fifteen minutes each day until all can be given with 
perfect ease ; then increase the length of time to twenty or 
thirty minutes a day, retaining the proper proportion of time 



112 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

allotted to each Quality. The object is to accustom the ear 
to these Qualities, to train the voice to execute them at 
will, and to acquire purity of tone which we have ranked 
as the first requisite of a good voice (p. 3%). 



CHAPTER II. — FORCE. 

In mechanical science Force is that which " produces or 
can produce motion." As a generic element in Elocution 
it is the power or energy with which sound waves are 
sent forth from the vocal organs. In its technical sense 
it must not be confounded with loudness. Loudness is stro?ig 
Force plus vibration. 

Figuratively speaking Force is the exploding powder back of 
the ball, and Loudness is the momentum of the ball. We may 
give a great deal of Force or energy to a sound without producing 
much loudness. For instance, strong Force with Aspirate Quality 
will not be heard very far, while ordinary Force with a clear 
Normal Quality would fill a large auditorium. 

Force has been treated usually from the standpoint of 
degree only. We will consider the subject as an energy 
within the Psychic Being impelled by the three-fold nature, 
and manifesting 'itself in three corresponding directions, 
namely ; i. Form, 2. Degree, and 3. Stress. 

I. ANALOGY WITH THE TRIUNE NATURE. 

I. Form is the manner of exerting Force. It belongs 
chiefly to the Emotive nature and reveals the sentiment 
or emotion implied. The simple utterance of words will 
convey thought, but the manner or Form shows the feeling 
accompanying the words. 

II. Degree relates to the measure of the power with 
which Force is exerted and is dependent upon the amount 
of vitality expended in a given utterance. A very loud Degree 
of Force can not come from a speaker of very low physical 
vitality. Degree, then, plainly belongs to the Vital division. 

113 



114 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

III. Stress is the location of Force upon certain parts 
of the sound or word, by which the special significance or 
meaning is made known. It is one of the active agents by 
which voice is articulated or modulated into speech, reveal- 
ing largely the activities of the mind. It therefore corre- 
sponds to the Mental nature. 

The above analogies may be represented by the following 
diagram : — 

JII. Emotive Form,^ 

M AN^r^r I. Vital .Degree JTr^FORCE 

(as a Psychic-,.^ ^~~ (a generic vo- 

Being) " "~~-^II. Mentai Stress--'" cal element) 

This general classification will be further explained in the 
fuller treatment which follows. 



SECTION I. — FORM. 

We have seen that Form is the manner or mode in 
which Force is exerted. It relates to the smoothness or 
abruptness with which a sound or syllable is begun or 
ended. There are but three Forms heard in Nature, 
namely : i, Effusive ; 2, Expulsive ; and 3, Explosive. 

The three Forms may be represented to the eye by the 
following illustrations : — 

Effusive <^^> 



Form -<! Expulsive 

Explosive Q 

The above figures simply illustrate the opening and 
closing of sounds regardless of their use as speech notes. 
To further illustrate Form it becomes necessary at this 
point to explain briefly and illustrate the song-notes and 
speech-notes with which the Forms are used in expression. 



FORM. 



15 



A Note of Song begins, continues, and ends on the same 
plane of Pitch ; a Note of Speech includes more than one 
Degree of Pitch and runs from a lower to a higher, or from 
a higher to a lower plane. This subject will be fully treated 
in a subsequent chapter on Pitch ; the following illustrative 
diagram will serve our present purpose. 



Form 




Effusive 



Expulsive 



Explosive 







Note of Song. 


it 


" Speech 


a. 


" Song. 


a 


" Speech. 


a 


" Song. 


a 


" Speech 






the above figure no attempt is made to illustrate the great 
variety of notes used in speech. Much of the so-called " sing- 
song " style of reading and speaking is due to the use of song- 
notes instead of speech-notes. The student should practice on 
each until he can easily distinguish between them. 

We have seen that Form is a specific division of the 
generic vocal element, Force. The above diagrams show 
its further subdivision into three kinds ; if this subdivision 
is correct these three kinds must prove to be active agents 
in expression, corresponding to man's three-fold nature. 
Let us define the three Forms and consider the analogies in 
the following diagram : — 

III. Emotive. Effusive, __ 

M AN <--_'_' I II. Mental- Expulsive VlV-.-^ FORM 

(as a Psychic- . ^ ^-('a"specific vo- 

tfeing) --.. 1. Vital Explosive.- -~ cal element) 



Il6 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



I. The Effusive. 

The Effusive is that Form of voice in which Force 
is applied smoothly and evenly so that the sound flows 
forth gently and without abruptness either in the opening 
or closing of the sound. It is heard in nature in the 
plaintive notes of the dove, the moaning wind, and the roar 
of the cataract, each of which inspires in us correspondingly 
depressed or solemn emotions. The mournful howl of a 
dog, the moan of a child, the groan of a man in sorrow, are 
all in the Effusive Form. In all these cases the Emotive 
nature is stirred beyond the Mental or Vital natures. The 
Effusive Form, then, is the especial agent of the Emotive 
nature and is employed to express the gentler and more 
solemn emotions, such as pathos, reverence, feebleness, sup- 
pressed fear, awe, etc. 

II. The Expulsive. 

The Expulsive is that Form in which Force is ap- 
plied abruptly and quickly so that the sound rushes 
forth from the vocal organs. It is heard in the babbling 
brook, the chatter of birds, the prattle of children, and in 
the ordinary unemotional conversation of all peoples in all 
languages. This Form escapes the Effusive on the one hand, 
expressing emotion, and the Explosive on the other, express- 
ing vitality or excitability. It occupies the middle ground 
between the two extremes of Form, and it must be used to 
express man's ordiaary thoughts when he is unmoved by 
emotion or excitability. The Expulsive, then, corresponds 
to the Mental nature, and is used to express those opera- 
tions of the mind which result from the perception, memory, 
reason, or imagination — such as narration, didactic thought, 
gladness, patriotis7?i, etc. 



FORM. 117 



III. The Explosive. 



The Explosive is that Form in which Force is ex- 
erted instantaneously, causing the sound to burst forth 
very abruptly. It is produced by forcing the breath into 
the vocal cavities, checking it briefly by whatever closure of 
organs the sound requires, and then by a sudden opening of 
the organs and action of the expiratory muscles the sound 
bursts forth. It is heard in the sudden peal of thunder, the 
report of a gun, the crack of a whip, the stroke of a hammer, 
the clapping of hands, and the piercing laughter of children, 
— all of which imply strong vitality and excitability. The 
physical conditions necessary to the production of this Form 
show its intense vitality. The Explosive evidently belongs 
to the Vital division and is used to express those intense 
emotions and passions in which great physical vitality is 
aroused, such as the excitement of great earnestness, joy, 
defiance, alarm, anger, etc. 

It should be noted, however, that in the Explosive Form 
the Emotive nature follows closely upon the Vital. In fact, 
the student, at first thought, might assign this Form to the 
Emotive division ; but a closer analysis shows that while the 
Emotive is prominent, as in all the above cases, the Vital 
leads. Defiance and alarm are intensely Emotive, but their 
expression would be tame or even false without the vitality 
of the Explosive Form. The varying proportions of emotion 
and vitality in this Form will depend upon the exact shading 
of the particular sentiment to be expressed. For instance, 
in defiance the Vital is evidently far more prominent than the 
Emotive ; while in joy or rapture the Emotive almost equals 
the Vital. If joy is ecstatic and of a pathetic or reverential 
nature, the Emotive will over-ride the Vital and throw the 
expression into the Effusive Form. This may be illustrated 
by the ecstatic pathos of " Romeo and Juliet," or by many 
of the sublime, ecstatic "Psalms of David." 



I l8 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



IV. Relative Values of the Three Natures in the 
Forms. 

In accordance with the preceding discussions the relative 
proportions in which the three natures are represented in 
each of the three Forms may be shown by the order and 
approximate numerical values in the following diagram : — 

f Effusive : Emotive 50, Mental 30, Vital 20 = 100. 
Form. ^ Expulsive : Mental 50, Vital 30, Emotive 20 = 100. 
[ Explosive : Vital 50, Emotive 40, Mental 10 = 100. 

The sum of values in each division gives the Emotive no 
(= first), the Vital 100 (= second), and the Mental 90 
(= third). Thus, broadly speaking, the Emotive leads, 
hence our classification of Form as an Emotive Element 

( P . n6). 

V. Illustrative Selections. 

In the following selections it must not be understood that 
the particular Form illustrated must be given throughout, 
or even upon all the words of the particular parts which 
embody the sentiments under consideration. A few words 
or sentences given in the Effusive Form may give an 
Emotive cast to an entire selection ; while a very few 
words in the Explosive are sufficient to express the vitality 
cr excitement of the illustration. The expression must 
depend upon the sentiment which, in turn, depends upon 
the words ; the selection of these words is left largely to 
the judgment of the teacher or student, though in some 
cases we have underscored words to secure a more definite 
application of the principle. 

1. Effusive Form. 

THE ISLE OF LONG AGO. 

O a wonderful stream is the river Time, 
As it runs through the realm of tears, 




FORM. 119 

With a faultless rhythm and a musical rhyme, 
And a boundless sweep and a surge sublime, 
As it blends with the Ocean of Years. 

How the Winters are drifting, like flakes of snow, 

And the Summers like buds between, 
And the year in the sheaf ; so they come and they go, 
On the river's breast, with its ebb and flow, 

As it glides in the shadow and sheen. 

There's a magical isle up the river Time, 

Where the softest of airs are playing ; 
There's a cloudless sky and a tropical clime, 
And a song as sweet as a vesper chime, 

And the Junes with the roses are straying. 

And the name of that Isle is the Long Ago, 

And we bury our treasures there ; 
There are brows of beauty and bosoms of snow ; 
There are heaps of dust, — but we loved them so ! 

There are trinkets and tresses of hair ; 

There are fragments of song that nobody sings, 

And a part of an infant's prayer ; 
There's a lute unswept, and a harp without strings ; 
There are broken vows and pieces of rings, 

And the garments that she used to wear. 

There are hands that are waved when the fairy shore 

By the mirage is lifted in air ; 
And we sometimes hear through the turbulent roar 
Sweet voices we heard in the days gone before, 

When the wind down the river is fair. 

O, remember'd for aye be the blessed Isle, 

All the day of our life until night ; 
When the evening comes with its beautiful smile, 
And our eyes are closing to slumber awhile, 

May that Greenwood of Soul be in sight ! 

Benj. F. Taylor. 



20 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



2. Expulsive Form. 



From DOMBEY AND SON. 



Paul Dombey had never risen from his little bed. He lay there 
listening to the noises in the street, quite tranquilly; not caring 
much how the time went, but watching it and everything about 
him with absorbing eyes. 

When the sunbeams struck into his room through the rustling 
blinds and quivered on the opposite wall like golden water, he 
knew that evening was coming on, and that the sky was red and 
beautiful. As the reflection died away, and a gloom went creep- 
ing up the wall, he watched it deepen, deepen into night. Then 
he thought how the long streets were dotted with lamps, and how 
the joyful stars were shining over head. His fancy had a strange 
tending to wander to the river, which he knew was flowing through 
the great city; and now he thought how black it was, and now 
how deep it would look, reflecting the hosts of stars — and more 
than all, how steadily it rolled away to meet the sea. — Dickens. 

From HAMLET. Act III, Scene 2. 

Ha?nlet. Speak the speech, I pray you, as I pronounced it to 
you, trippingly on the tongue : but, if you mouth it, as many of 
our players do, I had as lief the town-crier spoke my lines. Nor 
do not saw the air too much with your hand, thus ; but use all 
gently : for in the very torrent, tempest, and, as I may say, whirl- 
wind of your passion, you must acquire and beget a temperance, 
that may give it smoothness. O, it offends me to the soul to 
hear a robustious periwig-pated fellow tear a passion to tatters, 
to very rags, to split the ears of the groundlings ; who, for the 
most part, are capable of nothing but inexplicable dumb-shows 
and noise : I would have such a fellow whipped for o'er-doing 
Termagant ; it out-herods Herod : pray you, avoid it. 

1 Player. I warrant your Honor. 

Hamlet. Be not too tame neither, but let your own discretion 
be your tutor : suit the action to the word, the word to the action ; 
with this special observance, that you o'erstep not the modesty, 
of nature : for any thing so overdone is from the purpose of 



playing, whose end, both at first and now, was and is, to hold, 
as 'twere, the mirror up to Nature; to show virtue her own feature, 
scorn her own image, and the very age and body of the time his 
form and pressure. Now, this overdone, or come tardy of, 
though it make the unskilful laugh, cannot but make the judicious 
grieve; the censure of the which one must, in your allowance, o'er- 
weigh a whole theatre of others. O, there be players that I have 
seen plav, and heard others praise, and that highly, not to speak 
it profanely, that, neither having the accent of Christians nor the 
gait of Christian, pagan, nor Turk, have so strutted and bellowed, 
that I have thought some of Nature's journeymen had made them 
and not made them well, they imitated humanity so abominably. 

i Player. I hope we have reformed that indifferently with 
us, sir. 

Hamlet. O, reform it altogether. And let those that play your 
Clowns speak no more than is set down for them : for there be 
of them that will themselves laugh, to set on some quantity of 
barren spectators to laugh too ; though, in the meantime, some 
necessary question of the play be then to be considered : that's 
villainous, and shows a most pitiful ambition in the Fool that uses 
it. Go, make you ready. — Shakespeare. 

3. Explosive Form. 

From BEN-HUR. 

" Messala hath reached his utmost speed. See him lean over 
his chariot-rim, the reins as loose as flying ribbons. Look then 
at the Jew ! He throws all his weight on the bits ! I see, I see ! 
If the gods help not our friend, he will be run away with by the 
Israelite. No, not yet ! Look ! Jove with us, Jove with us ! " 

The cry, swelled by every Latin tongue, shook the velaria over 
the consul's head. — Lew Wallace. 

• 
From ZINGARILLA. 

" Where shall I flee ? 
Back, down ! Sic ! Upon them Zhock ! 



122 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Yonder Zhock, down by the sea. 
Zhock, how dare you ! Peace, Zhock ! 
I am wild Zingarilla, thy mistress, 
Down ! back ! away ! down ! down ! 
I feel his thorny claws around my neck, 
His hot breath in my throat." 

E. L. McDowell 

From THE BELLS. 

Hear the loud alarum bells, — brazen bells! 
What a tale of terror, now, their turbulency tells! 
In the startled ear of night 
How they scream out their affright! 
Too much horrified to speak, 
They can only shriek, shriek, 
Out of tune, 
In a clamourous appealing to the mercy of the fire, 
In a mad expostulation with the deaf and frantic fire 
Leaping higher, higher, higher, 
With a desperate desire, 
And a resolute endeavor 
Now — now to sit or never 
By the side of the pale-faced moon. 
O, the bells, bells, bells! 
What a tale their terror tells 
Of despair! 
How they clang, and clash, and roar! 
What a horror they outpour 
On the bosom of the palpitating air! 

Yet the ear, it fully knows, 
By the twanging and the clanging, 

How the danger ebbs and flows; 



FORM. 123 

Yet the ear distinctly tells, 
In the jangling and the wrangling, 
How the danger sinks and swells, 
By the sinking or the swelling in the anger of the bells, — 
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, — 
In the clamour and the clangour of the bells! 

Poe. 

VI. Vocal Exercises in the Forms. 

1. For Effusive. Give the continuant sounds (p. 46) 
and indefinite syllables and words (p. 65) in the Effusive 
Form with notes of song and notes of speech (p. 115). 

2. For Expulsive. Give the vowels and any syllables 
and words in the Expulsive Form with notes of song and 
notes of speech. 

3. For Explosive. Give words beginning with the sub- 
tonics b, d, and g, the atonies p, t, and k, and all the 
tonics (p. 45) in Explosive Form with notes of song and 
notes of speech. The breath should be forced into the 
cavities, checked for a moment by the closure of the organs 
which are then thrown open suddenly producing the Explo- 
sive. In the sounds b and p, this stoppage is made by the 
closure of the lips ; in d and t, by the pressure of the 
tongue against the front part of the roof of the mouth ; in 
g and k, by the contact of the back part of the tongue and 
the soft palate ; and in the tonics by the occlusion of the 
superior (or false) vocal cords. 

VII. Combination of Quality and Form. 

We have now progressed far enough to make a combina- 
tion which will show more definitely the kinds of thought 
and emotion expressed by the elements thus-far considered. 

Because of its importance we sometimes call the follow- 
ing diagram, 



124 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



I. " The Multiplication Table of Expression." 



f Solemnity 
Effusive Form expresses \ Tranquillity 
t Pathos. 



The Normal Quality a 
combined with 



Exi 



Explosive 



{Ordinary Conversation 
Didactic Thought 
Gladness. 

Gaiety, Joy 

Laughter 

Great Earnestness. 



Effusive 



The Orotund Quality \ ExpuLSIVE 
combined with 



Explosive 



Reverence 
Sublimity 
Devotion. 

[ Grandeur 
"S Patriotism 
I Lofty Oratorical Thought 

Courage 
Defiance 
Alarm. 



The Oral Quality 
combined with 



Effusive 



Expulsive 



Sickness 

Feebleness 

Idiocy. 

[ Timidity ' 
A Languor 
t Fatigue. 



Effusive 



The Aspirate Quality £xpuL£ 
combined with 



Explosive 



Suppressed Fear 

Stillness 

Secrecy. 

Sudden Fear 
Stealthiness 
Suppressed Command. 

Intense Fear 
Terror 

Consternation. 



The Guttural Quality 
combined with 



Expulsive 



Explosive 



[ Impatience 
"i Scorn, Hate 
l^ Revenge. 

[ Violent Hate 
•K Anger 
I Rage. 



The Pectoral Quality 
combined with 



QUALITY AND FORM COMBINED. 1 25 

M J I deepest Solemnity 



Effusive 

Awe and \ eneration. 



Dread 
Expulsive ^ Amazement 

Horror. 



Other synonymous words may be used in addition to the 
three or four given under each combination ; we have 
endeavored to give a few representative kinds of thought 
or emotion which will direct the thoughts of the student 
into the right channel. The above table should be 
thoroughly committed to memory. 

2. Proofs in Nature a?id Expression. 

Let us investigate more closely and see if the kinds of 
sentiment are correctly assigned to each combination. To 
do this we will trace each Quality through all the Forms 
with which it may combine. 

(1) The Normal with its Forms. 

In the Normal Effusive we have a Mental Quality 
combined with an Emotive Form, expressing solemnity, 
tranquillity, a?id pathos. In Nature, solemnity is illustrated 
in the moaning wind, tranquillity in the murmuring brook, 
and pathos in the low, plaintive notes of the dove ; in all 
these we hear Nature's Normal Effusive. Then if we would 
be natural in the expression of these sentiments we must 
use the Normal Effusive. 

In the Normal Expulsive we have a Mental Quality com- 
bined with a Mental Form which must express our purely 
mental thoughts such as ordinary conversation, didactic thought, 
and gladness. This combination is illustrated in the chatter of 
birds, the prattle of children, and the common conversation 
of all peoples, all of which impress us with Mentality rather 
than Emotion or Vitality. 



126 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

In the Normal Explosive we have a Mental Quality and 
a Vital Form expressing gaiety, joy, mirth, laughter and great 
earnestness, in all of which the Mental and Vital natures 
predominate. We hear this combination in the clapping 
of hands, the popping of fire-crackers, the ringing laughter 
of children, and in the merriest notes of singing birds. If 
we obey nature's voice in the expression of these sentiments 
we must evidently employ the vocal elements herein pre- 
scribed. 

(2) The Orotund with its Forms. 

Our diagram shows that the Orotund Quality responds 
about equally to the Mental and Vital natures. Com- 
bined with the Effusive, which is an Emotive Form, we have 
all three of the natures represented in reverence, sublimity 
and devotion, which in turn may be illustrated respect- 
ively by the low, deep tones of the pipe-organ, the roar of 
Niagara Falls, and the solemn utterances of church worship. 
In the presence of Niagara Falls our Mental nature is 
active as we think of the geological conditions producing 
this great work of Nature ; our Emotive nature is stirred as 
we listen to the sublime roar of this never ceasing voice of 
nature ; and the mighty forces of this great torrent impress 
us with their wonderful power. It is also a significant fact 
that the elements which express revere7ice, devotion, or prayer 
represent all three of our natures. 

Man can hide nothing from his Creator. However, conceptions 
of worship differ. Under one conception the Vital leads, and the 
body suffers in sack-cloth and ashes, or writhes under the self- 
imposed tortures of the savage ; under another, the Emotive 
leads, and tears and sobs choke the utterance, or shouts of joy 
and triumph proclaim the soul's emotion ; while under a third 
conception Mentality predominates, and man talks to his God. 
If, on the other hand, this last conception goes so far into Men- 
tality as to lose the idea of reverence, the utterance will return to 
simple Expulsive Normal. 






QUALITY AND FORM COMBINED, \2J 

The Orotund combined with the Expulsive Form gives 
about two-thirds Mentality and one-third Vitality which we 
think will be seen in the analysis of grandeur, patriotism, or 
lofty oratorical thought. We hear these elements and 
these sentiments in the grandeur of the mountain storm, 
in the firing of the distant cannon on patriotic occasions, 
and in the bold and lofty utterances of demonstrative oratory. 

In the Orotund Explosive we have a Mento-Vital Quality 
with a Vital Form expressing courage, defiance, and alarm. 
These elements are heard in the sudden clap of thunder, 
and in the turbulent strokes of the alarum bell. Certainly 
the strongest* Quality combined with the strongest Form 
will represent man in his strongest condition ; that condition 
is most manifest under the influence of courage, defiance, and 
alarm. 

(3) The Oral with its Forms. 

In nature, and in our triune classification, the Oral repre- 
sents the lowest state of vitality. Combined with the 
Effusive we have the weakest Quality with the weakest 
Form which must express the weakest condition of the 
body or mind, such as sickness, feebleness, and idiocy. We 
have this combination in the feeble chirp of a sick bird, in 
the weak voice of a dying person, and in the half articu- 
lated, unmeaning mutterings of an idiot. 

In the Oral Expulsive we have a Mental Form with a 
low degree of vitality expressing tiniidity, embarrassment, 
physical la?iguor and fatigue. These elements are heard in 
the listless voice of a lazy person, the faltering utterance of 
a timid child, or the weary, spiritless tones of a tired, over- 
worked person. Yet in all these cases there is inherent 
strength which is not utilized, while in the Oral Effusive 
there is an almost utter lack of strength. 

There can be no Oral Explosive because the weakness of this 
Quality will not combine with the strength of the Explosive Form. 



128 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



(4) The Aspirate with its Forms. 

The Aspirate belongs to the Emotive division and is 
essentially the language of fear and suppression. In the 
Effusive we have an Emotive Quality combined with an 
Emotive Form expressing suppressed fear, stillness, and 
secrecy ; people of all languages whisper when they express 
these conditions ; then the whisper is a perfect illustration 
of an Aspirate Effusive ; therefore when we utter these 
sentiments we must use these elements. 

In the Aspirate Expulsive we have a Mental Form with 
an Emotive Quality expressing sudden fear, stealthiness, and 
suppressed command. This combination may be illustrated 
in a huntsman's suppressed command to his bird-dog as 
they approach the game. The dog fully understands the 
meaning of these elements and obeys, but let the hunter 
speak in an Expulsive Normal, and the dog, no longer re- 
strained, bounds away towards the game. The stealthy 
conversation of sneak-thieves or of "midnight assassins" 
about to do their direful work would illustrate the Expulsive 
Aspirate. 

The Aspirate given with the vitality of the Explosive 
Form may be partially vocalized, and in this combination 
we have such intense Vito-Emotive sentiments as intense 
fear, terror, and consternation. These elements may be 
heard whenever a crowd of persons receive a very severe 
shock caused by some calamity such as the falling of a 
building threatening imminent danger. Macbeth's words of 
intense fear and horror when he sees the blood-stained 
ghost of Banquo would be given in the Aspirate Explosive. 

It will be observed that the word "fear" is used in each Form 
in the Aspirate, and that the modifying words "suppressed,'" 
"sudden" and "intense" correspond respectively to the three 
Forms. 






QUALITY AND FORM COMBINED. I 2Q 

(5) The Guttural with its Forms. 

We have seen that the Guttural is the pivotal Quality 
upon which the Vital and Emotive natures turn, and that 
it responds about equally to each. 

This Quality will not combine with the Effusive because its 
harshness and violence are out of harmony with the gentleness 
and smoothness of that Form. 

Combined with the Expulsive which is the mildest Form 
in which this Quality could be used, we have a Vito-Emotive 
Quality with a Mental Form expressing impatietice, scorn, hate, 
and revenge. These elements are heard in the angry growl 
of a dog, or in the harsh utterance of an angered person. 
In this combination, as in the Orotund Effusive, the entire 
triune nature is strongly represented. So in the opposite 
sentiments, prayer and hate, we have those extremes of 
expression in which the whole psychic Being is stirred. 

With different persons, however, the malignant emotions and 
passions manifest themselves through different degrees of each 
nature : With one the Mental leads, and scathing words are 
the weapons ; with another the Emotive predominates, and angry 
tones are the result ; and with yet another the Vital leads and 
blows follow. In all these cases the Guttural Expulsive is the 
natural tone-language. 

In the Guttural Explosive we have a Vito-Emotive 
Quality with a Vital Form, i.e. about two-thirds Vital and 
one-third Emotive which is an excellent analysis of violent 
hate, anger, and rage. We hear this combination in the 
growl of an infuriated tigress, or in the crash of a violent 
storm. The Guttural Expulsive of a dog would express 
his ordinary growl, but the Guttural Explosive would show 
his violent burst of rage. A Shylock would express hatred, 
or a Sir Peter and Lady Teazle quarrel in Guttural Expul- 
sive ; but this Quality with the Explosive Form would 



I30 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

characterize the curse of a King Lear, or the rage of an 
Othello when he discovers the villainy of Iago and the 
innocence of his murdered Desdemona. 

(6) The Pectoral with its Forms. 

The Pectoral is a distinctly Emotive Quality, and all 
sentiments expressed by it are distinctly Emotive. With 
the Effusive Form we have an Emoto-Emotive combination 
expressing the deepest solemnity, awe and veneration. We 
have seen (p. 105) that the Pectoral with its distinct reso- 
nance lies between and is related to the Orotund on the 
one hand and the Aspirate on the other ; so the sentiments 
expressed by the Pectoral partake of the nature of the senti- 
ments appropriate to those two Qualities. The Orotund 
Effusive is the expression of reverence and the Aspirate 
Effusive that of fear; our table shows that the Pectoral 
Effusive expresses awe; and Webster defines awe&s "rever- 
ential-fear." Ordinary prayer or devotion takes the Orotund 
Effusive ; but let there be a full realization of the presence 
of Deity and the aspirated utterance which comes of 
"holy fear " would modify the vocality of the Orotund into 
the Pectoral expressing the deepest solei?inity and veneration. 

When we stand in the presence of the great works 
of Nature and contemplate her forces manifested in great 
mountains, caves, deserts, or oceans, and feel a sense of our 
own littleness, our voices all untutored, give the best Pec- 
toral Effusive we are capable of making. Let us see to it 
that these elements are rightly employed in recitation and 
oratory. 

The Pectoral with the Expulsive combines an Emotive 
Quality with a Mental Form, expressing dread, amazement, 
and horror. The Expulsive adds an intensity of action and 
impulsiveness of utterance which comes with the sense of 
imminent danger or bodily harm, and dread or horror domi- 
nates the expression. For instance, on finding a great 



QUALITY AND FORM COMBINED. 1 3 I 

number of slain upon a field of battle, one would be im- 
pressed not only with the solemnity of the scene, but with 
the sense of danger surrounding him, and if he expressed 
himself at all, his voice would naturally make a Pectoral 
Expulsive. 

To compare these two Forms in the Pectoral, let us 
suppose that a traveler comes suddenly upon a full view 
of the Yosemite Valley. His expressions of wonder and 
awe would be in the Pectoral Effusive ; but let him sud- 
denly find himself so near the edge of that great chasm 
that there is danger of his falling two thousand feet to the 
base of the cliff, and his exclamations of horror (if fright 
does not so far predominate as to produce Aspirate Quality) 
would be in the Pectoral Expulsive. One may enjoy a 
comfortable amount of wonder and deep solemnity forty 
feet from the crater of Vesuvius, but he would be horrified 
to find himself on its burning brink ; both conditions would 
beget Pectoral, but the difference would be expressed in 
the two Forms. 

There can be no Explosive Pectoral because the intensity of 
of the one would destroy the suppression of the other, hence this 
combination is not found in Nature or expression. 

(7) The Nasal with its Forms. 

We have omitted the Nasal and the Falsetto in the above 
diagram because these Qualities are generally used in an 
impersonative sense, and rarely enter the more dignified 
realm of expression. However, the same course of reason- 
ing by which the truth of the other combinations have been 
proved, will lead the student into the correct use of these 
two Qualities : For example, the Yankee lad, " Darius 
Green," whose Normal Quality has degenerated into an 
habitual Nasal would express his sorrow in the Effusive 
Nasal, his ordinary conversation in the Expulsive Nasal, and 
his excitement and joy in the Explosive Nasal. We have seen 



132 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

that the Nasal belongs to the Vital division, and is due to 
some physical derangement of the nasal cavities. In de- 
scribing Darius Green the poet says : 

" His nose seemed bent to catch the scent, 
Around the corner, of new-baked pies." 

This physical derangement evidently stamped this droll 
character with a characteristic Nasal Quality in which he 
must express all his thoughts and emotions, — the different 
shadings of which, in turn, are expressible in the three 
Forms which combine with this Quality. 

(8) The Falsetto with its Forms. 

The Falsetto, which is a Vital Quality (p. 87), combines 
with the Expulsive and Explosive Forms which belong to 
the Mental and Vital divisions respectively (p. 87). The 
call of the Indian on the plains, the excited cheers heard at 
base-ball or foot-ball games, and the wild shouts of political 
crowds greeting election returns, illustrate the Falsetto 
Expulsive ; in these Vitality and Mento-Emotion evidently 
predominate. The piercing screa?n of fright, and the sudden 
slwiek of acute pain or tmrestrained physical delight, illustrate 
the Falsetto Explosive, and in these we have Vito-Vital or 
a predominance of expressed Vitality. 

We have now given (in Nature and in man's natural 
expression) illustrations of all the combinations in the above 
" Multiplication Table," and accounted for the sentiments 
assigned to each ; so that in the consideration of other 
elements we may justly reason from these established facts. 

The student should so associate each element with its 
appropriate sentiment that the one will always suggest the 
other. If reading, he should catch the sentiment with the 
words, and with the sentiment should come the elements 
with which it is to be expressed ; if he is speaking, the 
thoughts and sentiments should be his own, and with 






QUALITY AND FORM ILLUSTRATED. 1 33 

them should come a skillful execution of their appropriate 
elements. 

To further familiarize the student with these combinations 
we subjoin, for practice, the following : 

3. Illustrative Selections. 
(1) Normal Effusive. 

From HIGH-TIDE. 

I shall never hear her more 
By the reedy Lindis shore, 
" Cusha ! Cusha ! Cusha ! " calling, 
Ere the early dews be falling ; 
I shall never hear her song, 
" Cusha ! Cusha ! " all along 
Where the sunny Lindis floweth, 

Goeth, floweth, 
From the meads where melick groweth, 
Where the water winding down, 
Onward floweth to the town. 

Jean Ingelow. 

From THE SECRET OF DEATH. 

" She is dead ! " they said to him : « Come away ; 
Kiss her and leave her, — thy love is clay ! " 
They smoothed her tresses of dark-brown hair ; 
On her forehead of stone they laid it fair ; 
Over the eyes that gazed too much, 
They drew the lids with a gentle touch ; 
With a tender touch they closed up well 
The sweet, thin lips that had secrets to tell ; 
About her brows and beautiful face 
They tied her veil and her marriage lace, 
And drew on her white feet her white silk shoes — 
Which were the whitest no eye could choose — 
And on her bosom they crossed her hands. 

" Come away ! " they said ; " God understands ! " 



134 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

And there was silence, and nothing there 
But silence, and scents of eglantere, 
And jasmine, and roses, and rosemary ; 
And they said, " As a lady should lie, lies she." 

Edwin Arnold. 



From THE HOME OF OUR CHILDHOOD. 

The home of our childhood ! ah, could it receive 

All its children, if but for a day ! 
Could the hours as of old, on their bright wings of gold, 

Bring the joys they have borne far away ! 

The dew of the morn ne'er returns to a day 

That in summer is nearing its noon ; 
The scent of the rain, how we long for in vain, 

Through a drought in the fiery June ! 

But echoes of voices long hushed I still hear, 
And the old joys their shadows have left ; 

The false horoscope dims the vision of hope, 
But the boy-heart is not all bereft. 

Mysterious whispers in solitude heard, 
Or the sight of a wild woodland flower, 

The clear rhythmic fall of the waterman's call, 
Waken memories of some happy hour. 



We need not a Wordsworth to pen the sad truth, 
That " A glory hath past from the earth " — 

Forever has past, yet its memories last, 
Ever sweetening life's turmoil and dearth. 

Vain wish that the pitiless Past could restore 

What in youth it has lavishly given ! 
But hope looks beyond to the unbroken bond 

Of reunion as children in heaven. 

Edwaj-d A. Allen. 



QUALITY AND FORM ILLUSTRATED. 1 35 

(2) Normal Expulsive. 

From A DIARY. 

Her features were not pretty, but her face was full of expres- 
sion, and, next to that wholesoul, artless expression, was a blush 
that surpassed that of the sunset sky opposite her. When her 
thoughts were vivid and exciting, this glow seemed to rise up 
higher in her cheeks almost as perceptibly as the wavy edge of an 
aurora borealis. I never saw any color so perfectly beautiful in 
a human face, or so mercurial, rising at moments and then fading 
gradually downwards with her emotions. There was no confusion 
about it, but a looming up of her passionate and poetic nature. 
Her words seemed to flow without effort. — W. F. 

From WEST AND EAST, AN ALGERIAN ROMANCE. 

As a soul has a predominating feature, a virtue o'ershadowing 
all others, so a face has some characteristic beauty in which all 
blemishes are submerged. Sometimes it is only a dimple that 
modifies severity of judgment, as a hut is beautified by the pres- 
ence of a rose, or the most vicious life clothed with a cloak of 
charity fashioned from its one remaining virtue. — Laura Coates 
Reed. 

From THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. Act V, Scene 1. 

Lorenzo. How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank ! 
Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music 
Creep in our ears; soft stillness and the night 
Become the touches of sweet harmony. 
Sit, Jessica. Look, how the floor of heaven 
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold : 
There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st, 
But in his motion like an angel sings, 
Still quiring to the young-ey'd cherubins : 
Such harmony is in immortal souls ; 
But, whilst this muddy vesture of decay 
Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it. 

Shakespeare, 



I36 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(3) Normal Explosive. 

From IT SNOWS. 

" It snows ! " cries the school-boy : " Hurrah ! " and his shout 

Is ringing through parlor and hall ; 
While swift as the wing of a swallow, he's out, 

And his playmates have answered his call. 

Mrs. Hale. 

From INDEPENDENCE BELL. 

Hush'd the people's swelling murmur, 

Whilst the boy cries joyously ; 
" Ring ! " he shouts, " Ring ! grandpapa, 

Ring ! O, ring for Liberty ! " 
Quickly, at the given signal, 

The old bellman lifts his hand, 

Forth he sends the good news, making 

Iron music through the land. 

Anon. 

From YOUNG LOCHINVAR. 

One touch to her hand, and one word in her ear, 

When they reach 'd the hall door, where the charger stood near ; 

So light to the croup the fair lady he swung, 

So light to the saddle before her he sprung ; — 

"She is won ! we are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur; 

They'll have fleet steeds that follow ! " quoth young Lochinvar. 

Scott. 
From RFSTUM AND SOHRAB. 
Girl ! nimble with thy feet, not with thy hands, 
Curled minion, dancer, coiner of sweet words ! 
Fight, let me hear thy hateful voice no more ! 
Thou art not in Afrasiab's gardens now 
With Tartar girls, with whom thou art wont to dance ; 



QUALITY AND FORM ILLUSTRATED. 1 37 

But on the Oxus-sancls, and in the dance 
Of battle, and with me, who make no play 
Of war : I fight it out, and hand to hand. 

Matthew Arnold. 

(4) Orotund Effusive. 

From ANGELS' CHORUS -PROLOGUE TO FAUST. 

" New strength and full beatitude 
The angels gather from thy sight ; 
Mysterious all, yet all is good, 
All fair as at the birth of light." 

Goethe ( Anster's version). 

From GOD. 

O thou Eternal One, whose presence bright, 

All space doth occupy, all motion guide ; 
Unchanged through time's all-devastating flight ! 

Thou only God, — there is no God beside ! 
Being above all beings ! mighty One, 

Whom none can comprehend and none explore ; 
Who fill'st existence with Thyself alone, 

Embracing all, supporting, ruling o'er ; 

Being whom we call God, and know no more ! 

Derzhavin. 

From PSALM XC— Vs. 1 to 3 ; 4 to 6; 12 to 17. 

Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. 

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst 
formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to ever- 
lasting, thou art God. 

For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it 
is past, and as a watch in the night. 

Thou earnest them away as with a flood ; they are as a sleep : 
in the morning they are like grass which growcth up. 

In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up ; in the evening 
it is cut down, and withereth. 



I38 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts 
unto wisdom. 

Return, O Lord, how long? and let it repent thee concerning 
thy servants. 

O satisfy us early with thy mercy ; that we may rejoice and be 
glad all our days. 

Make us glad according to the days wherein thou hast afflicted 
us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. 

Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their 
children. 

And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us : and 
establish thou the work of our hands upon us ; yea, the work of 
our hands establish thou it. 

(5) Orotund Expulsive. 
From THE AMERICAN FLAG. 

Flag of the free heart's hope and home, 

By angel-hands to valour given, 
Thy stars have lit the welkin dome, 

And all thy hues were born in heaven. 
Forever float that standard sheet, 

Where breathes the foe but falls before us, 
With Freedom's soil beneath our feet, 

And Freedom's banner streaming o'er us ! 

/. R. Drake. 

From LAUNCHING OF THE SHIP. 

Thou, too, sail on, O Ship of State ! 
Sail on, O Union, strong and great ! 
Humanity, with all its fears, 
With all the hopes of future years, 
Is hanging breathless on thy fate ! 
We know what Master laid thy keel, 
What Workmen wrought thy ribs of steel, 
Who made each mast and sail and rope, 
What anvils rang, what hammers beat, 
In what a forge, and what a heat, 
Were shaped the anchors of thy hope ! 

Longfellow. 






QUALITY AM) FORM [LLUSTRATE6. 1 39 

From THE COLUMBIAN ORATION. Oct. 21, 1893. 

All hail, Columbus, discoverer, dreamer, hero, and apostle. We 
here, of every race and country, recognize the horizon which 
bounded his vision and the infinite scope of his genius. The voice 
of gratitude and praise for all the blessings which have been 
showered upon mankind by his adventure is limited to no language, 
but is uttered in every tongue. Neither marble nor brass can 
fitly form his statue. Continents are his monument, and un- 
numbered millions, past, present, and to come, who enjoy in their 
liberties and their happiness the fruits of his faith, will reverently 
guard and preserve, from century to century, his name and fame. — 
Chauncy M. Depew. 

(6) Orotund Explosive. 

From THE COMING OF ARTHUR. 

Blow trumpet ! he will lift us from the dust. 

Blow trumpet ! live the strength and die the lust ! 

Clang battle-axe, and clash brand ! Let the " King reign." 

Tennyson. 

From JULIUS C^SAR. Act III, Scene 1. 

Cinna. Liberty ! Freedom ! Tyranny is dead ! — 

Run hence ! proclaim, cry it about the streets. 

Cassius. Some to the common pulpits; and cry out, 
Liberty, freedom, and enfranchisement ! 

Shakespeare. 

From COUNT CANDESPINA'S STANDARD. 

Gonzalez in his stirrups rose : 

" Turn, turn, thou traitor knight ! 
Thou bold tongue in a lady's bower, 
1 » 

Geo. H. Boker. 



Thou dastard in a fight ! 



I4-0 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

From SPARTACUS TO THE GLADIATORS. 

Ye stand here now like giants, as ye are ! The strength of 
brass is in your toughened sinews, but to-morrow some Roman 
Adonis, breathing sweet perfume from his curly locks, shall with 
his lily fingers pat your red brawn, and bet his sesterces upon 
your blood. Hark! hear ye yon lion roaring in his den? 'Tis 
three days since he has tasted flesh ; but to-morrow he shall 
break his fast upon yours, — and a dainty meal for him ye will 
be! 

If ye are beasts, then stand here like fat oxen, waiting for the 
butcher's knife ! If ye are men, follow me ! Strike down yon 
guard, gain the mountain passes, and then do bloody work, as did 
your sires at old Thermopylae! Is Sparta dead? Is the old 
Grecian spirit frozen in your veins, that you do crouch and cower 
like a belaboured hound beneath his master's lash ? O, comrades ! 
warriors ! Thracians ! if we must fight, let us fight for ourselves ! 
If we must slaughter, let us slaughter our oppressors ! If we 
must die, let it be under the clear sky, by the bright waters, in 
noble, honourable battle ! 

(7) Oral Effusive. 

From DEATH OF PAUL DOMBEY. 

One night Paul Dombey had been thinking of his mother and 
her picture in the drawing-room down stairs. The train of 
thought suggested to him to enquire if he had ever seen his 
mother; for he could not remember whether they told him yes 
or no. 

1 Floy, did I ever see mamma ? ' 

1 No, darling; why ? ' 

'Did I ever see any kind face like mamma's, looking at me 
when I was a baby, Floy ? ' 

' Oh yes, dear.' 

' Whose, Floy ? ' 

1 Your old nurse's, often.' 



QUALITY AND FORM ILLUSTRATED. I4I 

'And where is my old nurse? Show me that old nurse, Floy, 
if you please.' 

' She is not here, darling. She shall come to-morrow.' 
'Thank you, Floy.' 

"Floy! this is a kind good face! I am glad to see it again. 
Don't go away, old nurse. Stay here! Good-by! " 

" Good-by, my child?" cried Mrs. Pipchin, hurrying to his 
bed's head. " Not good-by ? " 

"Ah, yes! Good-by! — Where is papa?" 

His father's breath was on his cheek before the words had 
parted from his lips. The feeble hand waved in the air, as if it 
cried "Good-by!" again. 

"Now lay me down; and, Floy, come close to me, and let me 
see you." 

Sister and brother wound their arms around each other, and 
the golden light came streaming in, and fell upon them, locked 
together. — Dickens. 

(8) Oral Expulsive. 
From WOUNDED. 

Let me lie down 
Just here in the shade of this cannon-torn tree, 
Here, low on the trampled grass, where I may see 
The surge of the combat, and where I may hear 
The glad cry of victory, cheer upon cheer : 

Let me lie down. 

O, it was grand ! 
Like" the tempest we charged, in the triumph to share; 
The tempest, — its fury and thunder were there : 
On, on, o'er intrenchments, o'er living and dead, 
With the foe under foot, and our flag overhead : 

O, it was grand ! 



142 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Weary and faint, 
Prone on the soldier's couch, ah, how can I rest, 
With this shot-shatter'd head and sabre-pierced breast ? 
Comrades, at roll-call when I shall be sought, 
Say I fought till I fell, and fell where I fought, 

Wounded and faint. 

William E. Miller. 



(9) Aspirate Effusive. 

From MAUD — THE GARDEN SONG. 

The red rose cries, " She is near, she is near," 
And the white rose weeps, " She is late ; " 

The lark-spur listens, " I hear, I hear ; " 
And the lily whispers, " I wait." 

Te7inyso?i. 

From DYING REQUEST. 

" Leave me ! Thy footstep with its lightest sound, 

The very shadow of thy waving hair, 
Wakes in my soul a feeling too profound, 

Too strong, for aught that lives and dies to bear ; 
O bid the conflict cease ! " 

Mrs. Hemans. 

(10) Aspirate Expulsive. 
From MACBETH. Act II, Scene 1. 

Macbeth. I've done the deed. Did'st thou not hear a noise ? 
Lady Macbeth. I heard the owl scream and the crickets cry. 
Did not you speak ? 

Macb. When? 

Lady M. Now. 

Macb. As I descended ? 

Lady M. Ay. 

Macb. Hark ! Who lies i' the second chamber? 

Lady M. Donalbain. 



QUALITY AND FORM ILLUSTRATED. I43 

Macb. [Looking at his hands.] This is a sorry sight. 

Lady M. A foolish thought, to say a sorry sight. 

Macb. There's one did laugh in's sleep, and one cried Murder! 
That they did wake each other; I stood and heard them : 
But they did say their prayers, and address'd them 
Again to sleep. 

Lady M. There are two lodged together. 



Shakespeare. 



(11) Aspirate Explosive. 



From MACBETH. Act I, Scene 7. 



Macb. If we should fail, — 

Lady M. We fail. 

But screw your courage to the sticking-place, 

And we '11 not fail. Shakespeare. 



From THE HUNCHBACK. Act IV, Scene 2. 

Clifford. A burden to me ! 

Mean you yourself? Are you that burden, Julia? 
Say that the Sun 's a burden to the Earth ; 
Say that the blood 's a burden to the heart ; 
Say health 's a burden, peace, contentment, joy, 
Fame, riches, honours ; everything that man 
Desires, and gives the name of blessing to, — 
E'en such a burden Julia were to me, 
Had fortune let me wear her. 

Julia. [Aside.] On the brink 

Of what a precipice I 'm standing ! Back, 
Back ! while still the faculty remains to do 't : 
A minute longer, not the whirlpool's self's 
More sure to suck thee down. One effort ! There 

Clif. My Julia ! 



144 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Jul. Here again? 

Up ! up ! By all thy hopes of Heaven, go hence ! 
To stay 's perdition to me ! Look you, Clifford, 
Were there a grave where thou art kneeling now, 
I 'd walk into 't, and be inearth'd alive, 
Ere taint should touch my name. Should some one come 
And see thee kneeling thus ! Let go my hand ! 
Remember, Clifford, I 'm a promised bride ; 
And take thy arm away : it has no right 
To clasp my waist. Judge you so poorly of me, 
As think I '11 suffer this ? My honour, sir ! 

Knowles. 

(12) Guttural Expulsive. 
From MARMION AND DOUGLASS. 

I tell thee, thou'rt defied ! 
And, if thou said'st I am not peer 
To any lord in Scotland here, 
Lowland or Highland, far or near, 

Lord Angus, thou hast lied ! 

Scott. 

From THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. Act I, Scene 3. 

Bassanio. This is Signior Antonio. 

Shylock. [Aside.] How like a fawning publican he looks ! 
I hate him for he is a Christian; 
But more, for that, in low simplicity, 
He lends out money gratis, and brings down 
The rate of usance here with us in Venice. 
If I can catch him once upon the hip, 
I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him. 
He hates our sacred nation; and he rails, 
Even there where merchants most do congregate, 
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift, 



FORM. I45 

Which he calls interest. Cursed be my tribe, 

It 1 forgive him ! 

Shakespeare. 

(13) Guttural Explosive. 

From MARY STUART. Act III, Scene 4. 

Leicester. Attend not to her rage ! Away, away, 
From this disastrous place ! 

Mary. A bastard soils, 

Profanes the English throne ! The generous Britons 
Are cheated by a juggler, whose whole figure 
Is false and painted, heart as well as face ! 
If right prevail'd, you now would in the dust 
Before me lie, for I'm your rightful monarch ! 

Schiller. 
From LEAH, THE FORSAKEN. Act IV, Scene 2. 

Rudolf. Hold, fierce woman, I will beseech no more ! Do not 
tempt Heaven; let it be the judge between us ! If I have sinned 
through love, see that you do not sin through hate. 

Leah. Blasphemer ! and you dare call on Heaven ! What 
commandment hast thou not broken? Thou shalt not swear 
falsely, — you broke faith with me ! Thou shalt not steal, — you 
stole my heart. Thou shalt not kill, — what of life have you left 
me? 

Rud. Hold, hold ! No more. 

Leah. The old man who died because I loved you ; the woman 
who hungered because I followed you ; the infant who died of 
thirst because of you ; may they follow you in dreams, and be a 
drag upon your feet forever! May you wander as I wander, suffer 
shame as I now suffer it ! Cursed be the land you till ; may it 
keep faith with you, as you kept faith with me ! Cursed be the 
unborn fruit of thy marriage ! may it wither as my young heart 
has withered ! and, should it ever see the light, may its brows be 



I46 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

blackened by the mark of Cain, and may it vainly pant for nourish- 
ment on its dying mother's breast ! Cursed, thrice cursed may 
you be evermore ! and as my people on Mount Ebal spoke, so 
speak I thrice, Amen ! Amen ! Amen ! 

Daly. 

(14) Pectoral Effusive. 
From KING ROBERT OF SICILY. 

And when they were alone, the angel said : 
" Art thou the king ? " Thus, bowing down his head, 
King Robert crossed both hands upon his breast, 
And meekly answered him, " Thou knowest best ! 
My sins as scarlet are ; let me go hence, 
And in some cloister's school of penitence, 
Across those stones that pave the way to heaven 
Walk barefoot till my guilty soul be shriven ! " 

Longfellow. 

From THE CLOSING YEAR. 

'Tis midnight's holy hour, and silence now 

Is brooding like a gentle spirit o'er 

The still and pulseless world. Hark ! on the winds 

The bell's deep tones are swelling, — 'tis the knell 

Of the departed year. No funeral train 

Is sweeping past ; yet, on the stream and wood, 

With melancholy light, the moon-beams rest 

Like a pale, spotless shroud. 

Geo. D. Pre7itice 



(15) Pectoral Expulsive. 

From MACBETH. Act I, Scene 5. 

Lady Macbeth. Give him tending; 

[Exit Attendant. 

He brings great news. — The raven himself is hoarse, 



DEGREE OF FORCE. 1 47 

That croaks the fatal entrance of Duncan 
Under my battlements. — Come, you spirits 
That tend on mortal thoughts, unsex me here ; 
And fill me from the crown to the toe, top-full 
Of direst cruelty ! make thick my blood, 
Stop up th' access and passage to remorse, 
That no compunctious visitings of nature 
Shake my fell purpose, nor break peace between 
The effect, and it ! Come to my woman's breasts, 
And take my milk for gall, you murdering ministers, 
Wherever in your sightless substances 
You wait on nature's mischief ! Come, thick night, 
And pall thee in the dunnest smoke of Hell, 
That my keen knife see not the wound it makes, 
Nor Heaven peep through the blanket of the dark, 
To cry Hold, hold! 

Shakespeare. 



SECTION II. — DEGREE OF FORCE. 

We have seen that the Degrees of Force in Elocution 
relate to the measure of the power with which sounds are 
sent forth from the vocal organs. We have also seen that 
this division of Force is the especial agent of man's Vital 
nature, but it must be modified by the Mental and Emotive 
divisions. The expenditure of any given degree or amount 
of energy is regulated by the state of mind and feeling, and 
is dependent on the physical condition of the vocal organs 
and muscles. Then if we would understand and acquire a 
mastery of this important element we must study the relation 
of mind and feeling to the Degrees of Force as well as the 
physical resources of the human voice by which it responds 
to the requirements of the Mental and Emotive natures. 



I48 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Different Degrees of Force express different sentiments. 

We recognize differe7it sentiments in the clapping of hands, 
the popping of fire-crackers, the firing of musketry, and the 
booming of cannon, and the difference is marked by the 
Degrees of Force. Because these sounds are all made by per- 
cussion or explosion and are consequently in the Explosive 
Form, we recognize also a similarity of sentiment — that of 
excitability or triumph. Then we may say that the similarity 
of sentiment in these illustrations is marked by the Form, 
and the dissimilarity by the Degree. Ordinary clapping of 
hands expresses approval, but the louder clapping indicates 
enthusiasm ; the difference is marked by the Degrees of 
Force applied. Ask a question and give the answer "yes " 
with ordinary Force ; now repeat the question and give the 
same answer with a very strong Degree of Force and the 
changed sentiment is at once apparent. Then it is evident 
that we must use different Degrees of Force to express 
different sentiments. 

I. Scale of Degrees. 

The necessity now arises for a scale upon which we may 
measure the different Degrees and sentiments. The Degrees 
of Force are Subdued, Moderate, Energetic and Impas- 
sioned. For the sake of closer measurements each of these 
may be further subdivided into three parts, represented to 
the eye by the following familiar diagram : 

DEGREES of FORCE. 

Energetic. 

c „ Moderate. „ . ^ ^ — -^ N 

Subdued. — -_^ s - — ■£• — -~^7^ ' ,~^^s-^ X^\ 

^000000 000 



I 



DEGREE OF FORCE. I |<j 

As far as we have been able to discover all the writers on 
Elocution using this figure have treated it as an absolute 
scale, and the teachers of Elocution have generally tried to 
make the sentiments and the conditions of speaking conform 
to it. It appears to us far more practical to use this as a 
relative scale, adjustable (i) to the individuality of the 
speaker and (2) to the acoustic properties of different 
auditoriums. 

I. Individuality of the Speaker. 

Each speaker has a certain range in Degrees of Force 
which is measured by his ow?i scale. This scale in turn should 
indicate his use of Force in vocal culture and expression. 
In his attempt to acquire a strong voice he should not 
model his power upon the scale of some favorite teacher or 
speaker. This gives that strained and unnatural effect so 
often heard in minor actors who imitate their "star," or 
in young speakers who pattern after some forceful orator. 

If a speaker has not enough control of Force to make 
himself heard by an audience under ordinary circumstances, 
he should either cultivate his voice or abandon altogether 
the attempt to speak. Whatever other defects an audience 
may overlook, they are loth to excuse one who claims their 
time and attention when it is impossible to hear his words. 

There are other speakers who do make themselves heard, 
but they fall into the habit of a strained, loud utterance for 
every sentiment ; nothing is more disastrous to speaking. 
Such a person should be drilled in Degrees of Force until 
his mildest pathos may be heard, as well as his strongest 
vehemence controlled. 

There are yet other speakers whose voices are strong 
enough for all practical purposes, but who have not the skill 
to adjust their Degrees to the acoustic conditions of any 
given auditorium. This leads us to the consideration of 
the second point. 



I50 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

2. Acoustic Conditions. 

We cannot undertake a treatise on the laws of acoustics 
in this volume. For an exhaustive study, the student is re- 
ferred to the works of the German scientist, Helmholtz. But 
for our purposes we may state briefly that the acoustic 
properties of any auditorium depend upon (1) the size of the 
room ; (2) the shape of the room ; and (3) whether or not 
it be filled with an audience. The speaker cannot control 
these conditions ; he must adapt himself to them. 

(1) Size of Auditorium. 
If the auditorium be large the speaker's scale of Force 
should be correspondingly large. His Subdued Force must 
be strong enough to be heard by the entire audience if they 
are quiet and there are no loud external noises to overcome. 
If the room is small the speaker's scale of Force should 
correspond 'to it, so that his most impassioned utterance will 
not offend his nearest auditor. One may recite the " Charge 
of the Light Brigade " or the strongest scenes from " Mac- 
beth " or " King Lear " in a small room without offending 

his audience. 

(2) Shape of Auditorium. 

There are many theories regarding the shape of an 
auditorium for speaking purposes into which we cannot 
enter now ; but we may here record some observations and 
offer a few general suggestions to the speaker. Let us con- 
sider three different auditoriums. 

Music Hall in Cincinnati seating 4,700 people, while 
excellent for musical purposes, proved a failure on the 
occasion of the Dramatic Festival held there in 1883. It 
is a rectangular room the length of which is about one-and- 
a-half times its width. 

The great Mormon Tabernacle, Salt Lake City, elliptical 
in form, with its oblong concave ceiling, presents acoustic 
properties almost phenomenal. The sound of a pin falling 



DEGREE OF FORCE. I 5 I 

two or three feet and striking against a hard surface near 
the altar, can be heard in any distant part of the auditorium. 
Yet the condition of its being heard is the utmost silence 
on the part of every one present. 

The ancients seem to have attained the nearest to perfect 
acoustic conditions in the construction of their amphithe- 
atres. In Verona, Italy, there is perhaps the best preserved 
ancient amphitheatre in the world. In this, one may 
stand as far as possible from the rostrum and hear the 
voice of a speaker using the ordinary Degrees of Force. In 
its day this vast auditorium seated 37,000 people. 

Our architects have realized that the theatres modeled 
more after the old amphitheatre, have given better acoustic 
results than our churches ; so that in more recent years 
the high pointed arches and the level floors of the rectan- 
gular nave and chancel, with the sometimes projecting arms 
of the transepts, have given way to the more practical 
auditorium with its raised floors, seated with opera chairs 
arranged in semi-circular rows, its arching semi-circular 
galleries and its rounded curve of walls and ceiling. 

One of the most serious results of a badly shaped 
auditorium is echo. Yet the bad effects of echo may be 
overcome to a great extent by a clear Quality of voice, a 
distinct articulation, slower utterance, a more varied Pitch, 
and by a skillful management of the Degrees of Force 
suitable to the size of the room. Loudness of utterance 
usually augments this difficulty. 

In some auditoriums the speaker will observe that one 
portion of the audience hears him perfectly, while another, 
perhaps more remote, hears only with great effort. In such 
a case the speaker should accommodate himself to the lat- 
ter, observing, at the same time, the suggestions given in 
the case of echo. 

A great factor in making oneself heard in any auditorium 
is the art of gaining the attention of the audience ; this may 



152 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

be accomplished in a large measure not only by a skillful 
management of the Degrees of Force but by the right use 
of all the principles of Elocution. 

(3) Size of the Audience. 

The acoustic properties of a room are affected by ah 
audience. Hard benches and bare floors reflect, while an 
audience seems to absorb sounds. The presence of a large 
audience generally removes the conditions that make an 
echo in an empty room. If the speaker will use the ele- 
ments of expression as carefully in the presence of the audi- 
ence as he must to overcome the echo of the empty hall, he 
will have no difficulty in being heard distinctly. The little 
noises of moving feet, waving fans, turning of the leaves 
of a programme or libretto, and the little comments of 
approval or disapproval by many individuals, will, in the 
aggregate, make up a certain volume of sound common to 
even the most orderly audiences, and this must be overcome 
by the speaker. 

There are also auditoriums generally in the form of our 
modern theatres or opera houses, with drapery and hang- 
ings, in which there is little or no echo, even when empty. 
In this case the presence of a large audience generally 
increases the acoustic difficulties. The student rehearsing 
in such an auditorium, with Force enough to be distinctly 
heard, should enlarge his scale of Force for the added noises 
of the assembled audience. 

A speaker may meet the further conditions of a small 
audience in a large hall, in which case he should adjust 
his scale of Force to the audience rather than to the hall. 

II. Exercises on Relative Scales. 

In order that the student may become familiar with the 
relative Degrees of Force on any given scale we here sub- 
join a few exercises. 



DEGREE OF FORCE. 



53 



i. Give the words " Pm nearer my Jio?nc to-day than I 
have been before" in Subdued Force on a scale for different 
auditoriums seating 50, 500, and 5000 persons respectively. 

2. In the same way give, "Fellow-citizens : It is no ordinary 
cause that has brought together this vast assemblage" in Moderate 
Force ; "Has there any old fellow got mixed with the boys / Jf 
he has, take him out, without making a noise" in Energetic 
Force; and "Forward the Light Brigade! Charge for the 
guns!" in Impassioned Force. 

3. Give the sounds ee, 00, ah, and the words on, ile, aim 
through all the Degrees of Force in the appropriate scale for 
different auditoriums. 



III. Combinations with Form and Quality. 

Having given the individual and acoustic conditions of 
an adjustable scale, we now submit the following diagram 
showing the limitations and range of the Forms and 
Qualities in the Degrees of Force. 







Effusive 










Expulsive 








Explosive 


f Q 
Id 

Z 
















CO 

< 

OL 

2 














H 
H 

c 




( 

j 






C 


2 O > > 

> 2: -o J 


. 

V 1- 








O S 
H 

c 








2^5 
> c > 
£ Z H 


Ask 
1 w 








c 


-> 


C 

c 


} 






c 


p r 




/ z 
/ UJ 

\ Id 


3U 




c 


Z 
3 


> 

2 2 " 










'"S 


c 
z 







JO 

S 
> 




5 ? 


: 

3D 




/ 










D 










r 






f s 


2: 



T3 A 




c 


) 










Q 
III 


s 1 
> 

r 


3) : 
> j 
H r 





r 






33 




( 

3 


5~ r 

3 


1 










CO 




! 




/ 







This figure which we give to represent the approximate 
range and limitations is based upon Mental, Emotive, and 



154 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Physical laws governing the production of speech-notes, and 
may be proved in nature and expression by the same course 
of reasoning heretofore followed. Any test of a highly cul- 
tivated voice under the acoustic conditions we have given, 
shows that speech-notes cannot be given on sounds, words, 
and sentences outside of these limitations, while the voice, 
at the same time, gives the Mental and Emotive impressions 
implied by the sentiments of these combinations. Many 
voices will fall far below the execution of the full range here 
shown, but the standard is given for the ambitious student. 

i. The Limitations in Degree. 

We find that the Effusive Form combined with Normal 
Quality extends through the Subdued and Moderate Degrees 
of Force. We have shown (p. 124) that this combination 
expresses solemnity, tranquillity, and pathos ; then those senti- 
ments should be given in Subdued and Moderate Degrees 
of Force in whatever scale we may be called upon to use. 
Pathos or tra?iquillity uttered in a large auditorium must be 
given in Subdued or Moderate Force for that room, so that 
they will be heard, and at the same time, not be thrown out 
of the Degree appropriate to their expression. Give these sen- 
timents in Energetic or Impassioned Force and the words are 
robbed at once of their expression. In fact the attempt to 
do this would cause a change either of the Form or the 
Quality before the stronger Degrees of Force could be 
reached. 

We find Effusive Orotund in Moderate and Energetic 
Degrees. No human voice will execute the Orotund in Sub- 
dued Force because the intensity required for the vocal 
vibrations of the Orotund would be greater than that repre- 
sented by the Subdued Force. Nor is this combination 
found in the Impassioned Force because the gentleness of 
the Effusive Form would be destroyed by the intensity of 
the Impassioned Force. Then this limitation must be cor- 






DEGREE OF FORCE. I 55 

rect. We have found (p. 124) that the Effusive Orotund is 
the language of reverence^ sublimity, and devotion; then when 
we express these sentiments we must use only the Moderate 
or Energetic Force on the scale for any room in which we 
may speak. Prayer uttered in Impassioned Force loses its 
reverence and runs into a strained, unnatural vociferation. 
The diagram above shows the reason. 

The weakest Form (Effusive) combined with the weakest 
Quality (Oral) cannot extend farther than through the weak- 
est degrees of Force (Subdued) ; then the sentiment of this 
combination (sickness, feebleness, and weakness) must be imper- 
sonated only in Subdued Force. Our limitation is proved. 

So we might go through the entire figure and show, step 
by step, the truth of these limitations ; but for the sake 
of brevity we refer the student to the diagrams on p. 124 
which should be reviewed in connection with the study of 
these diagrams of Force. 

In fixing this figure in the mind, the student should 
observe the most prominent features first and master the 
minor details afterwards. The Effusive Form is too gentle 
to extend into the Impassioned Force, and only with the 
strength of the Orotund will it run into the Energetic. 
There are no Expulsives in the Subdued Force and only one 
(with the Orotund) in the Impassioned Force, except the 
Guttural which runs through the first degree of the Impas- 
sioned. It will be remembered (p. 116) that the Expulsive 
is the ordinary, middle Form ; then its limitations in general 
must range through the ordinary, middle Degrees of Force, 
as the figure shows. There are no Explosives in the Sub- 
dued and Moderate Degrees of Force, because that Form is 
too intense for these Degrees. With the violence of the 
Guttural it is too intense even for the Energetic. 

For the reasons already given (p. 131) we have omitted 
the Nasal and Falsetto here. 



156 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

2. The Range in Degree. 

While this figure marks the bounds beyond which no 
speaker must stray, it also shows the wide territory over 
which the orator may range. In a given room or audito- 
rium one reader may shade pathos in the last Degree of 
Subdued Force, while another speaker, under the same cir- 
cumstances, may give this sentiment in the middle or last 
Degree of the Moderate ; both will be correct because they 
are within the limitation, but they will be different, as 
indeed they should be. The fact that one" speaker gives a 
particular passage of bold and lofty thought in the last Degree 
of Impassioned, is no reason why another, equally talented 
and artistic, may not give the same passage in the first 
Degree of Energetic Force ; the two renditions will be 
essentially different because they come from different in- 
dividuals, but both will be right because they have not 
transgressed Nature's limitations. Then the figure shows 
the utmost range for individuality in Elocution. 

Almost any good reader would give the same passage 
in different Degrees of Force at different times according 
to his varying moods ; our figure simply shows his range 
and marks his limit. 

The student following the range given to each sentiment 
would shade different sentences and parts of sentences in 
different Degrees of Force and thereby avoid the monotony 
which characterizes the wrong use of the Degrees of Force. 

For practice we subjoin a few selections appropriate in the 
main, to the different Degrees to which they are assigned.. 

IV. Illustrative Selectioxs. 
1 . Subdued Degrees. 

From NEARER HOME. 

One sweetly solemn thought 
Comes to me o'er and o'er : 



DEGREE OF FORCE. I 57 

I'm nearer my home to-day 

Than I ever have been before ; 

Nearer my Father's house, 

Where the many mansions be ; 
Nearer the great white throne ; 

Nearer the crystal sea ; 

Nearer the bound of life, 

Where we lay our burdens down ; 
Nearer leaving the cross, 

wn ! 

PJioebe Cary. 

2. Moderate Degrees. 

From A BEE-HUNT IN THE FAR WEST. 

We had not been long in the camp when a party set out in 
quest of a bee-tree, and, being curious to witness the sport, I 
gladly accepted an invitation to accompany them. The party 
was headed by a veteran bee-hunter, a tall, lank fellow in home- 
spun garb that hung loosely about his limbs, and a straw hat 
shaped not unlike a bee-hive; a comrade, equally uncouth in 
garb, and without a hat, straddled along at his heels, with a 
long rifle on his shoulder. To these succeeded half a dozen 
others, some with axes and some with rifles, for no one stirs 
far from the camp without his firearm, so as to be ready either 
for wild deer or wild Indian. — Washington Irving. 

3. Energetic Degrees. 

From VIRGINIA: A LAY OF ANCIENT ROME. 

Forth through the throng of gazers the young Icilius press'd, 
And stamp'd his foot, and rent his gown, and smote upon his 

breast, 
And beckon'd to the people, and, in bold voice and clear, 
Pour'd thick and fast the burning words which tyrants quake to 

hear. 

" Now, by your children's cradles, now, by your father's graves, 
Be men to-day, Quirites, or be forever slaves ! 



I58 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Shall the vile fox-earth awe the race that storm'd the iion's den? 
Shall we, who could not brook one lord, crouch to the wicked Ten? 
O, for that ancient spirit which curb'd the Senate's will ! 
O, for the tents which in old time whiten'd the Sacred Hill ! 
In those brave days, our fathers stood firmly side by side; 
They faced the Marcian fury, they tamed the Fabian pride: 
But, look, the maiden's father comes, — behold Virginius here ! " 

Macau lay. 

4. Impassioned Degrees. 

From THE POLISH BOY. 

The mother sprang with gesture wild, 

And to her bosom clasp'd her child; 

Then with pale cheek and flashing eye, 

Shouted with fearful energy, 

" Back, ruffians, back ! nor dare to tread 

Too near the body of my dead; 

Nor touch the living boy; I stand 

Between him and your lawless band. 

Take me, and bind these arms, — these hands, — 

With Russia's heaviest iron bands, 

And drag me to Siberia's wild 

To perish, if 'twill save my child ! " 

Ann S. Stephens. 

V. Selections for Analysis. 

The student should analyze the following selections, 
determine the appropriate Degrees of Force for the varying 
sentiments and emotions, and read or recite them ac- 
cordingly : — 

From POTENCY OF ENGLISH WORDS. 

Seek out " acceptable words ; " and as ye seek them turn to 
our English stores. Seeking to be rich in speech, you will find 
that in the broad ocean of our English literature there are pearls 
of great price, our potent English words ; words that are wizards 
more mighty than the old Scotch magician; words that are pictures 
bright and moving with all the coloring and circumstances of life; 
words that go down the century like battle cries; words that sob 



DEGREE OF FORCE. 159 

like litanies, sing like larks, sigh like zephyrs, shout like seas. 
Seek amid our exhaustless stores and you will find words that 
flash like the stars of the frosty sky, or are melting and tender 
like Love's tear- filled eyes; words that are fresh and crisp like the 
mountain breeze in Autumn, or are mellow and rich as an old 
painting ; words that are sharp, unbending, and precise like Alpine 
needle-points, or are heavy and rugged like great nuggets of gold; 
words that are glittering and gay like imperial gems, or are chaste 
and refined like the face of a Muse. Search and ye shall find 
words that crush like the battle-axe of Richard, or cut like the 
scimetar of Saladin; words that sting like a serpent's fangs, or 
soothe like a mother's kiss ; words that can unveil the nether 
depths of Hell, or paint out the heavenly heights of purity and 
peace; words that can recall a Judas; words that reveal the Christ. 
— John S. Mcintosh. 

From MARCO BOZZARIS. 

An hour pass'd on : the Turk awoke : 

That bright dream was his last. 
He woke to hear his sentries shriek, 
" To arms ! they come ! the Greek ! the Greek ! " 
He woke, to die 'midst flame and smoke, 
And shout, and groan, and sabre-stroke, 

And death-shots falling thick and fast 
As lightnings from the mountain cloud, 
And heard, with voice as trumpet loud, 

Bozzaris cheer his band : 
" Strike ! — till the last arm'd foe expires; 
Strike ! — for your altars and your fires ; 
Strike ! — for the green graves of your sires; 

God, and your native land ! " 

They fought like brave men, long and well; 

They piled that ground with Moslem slain; 
They conquer'd; — but Bozzaris fell, 

Bleeding at every vein. 
His few surviving comrades saw 
His smile when rang their loud hurrah, 

And the red field was won; 



IOO PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Then saw in death his eyelids close, 
Calmly as to a night's repose, — 
Like flowers at set of Sun. 

Come to the bridal chamber, Death ! 

Come to the mother's, when she feels, 
For the first time, her first-born's breath- 

Come when the blessed seals 
That close the pestilence are broke, 
And crowded cities wail its stroke ; 
Come in consumption's ghastly form, 
The earthquake shock, the ocean storm ; 
Come when the heartbeats high and warm 

With banquet song and dance and wine; 
And thou art terrible : — the tear, 
The groan, the knell, the pall, the bier, 
And all we know, or dream or fear 

Of agony are thine. 
But to the hero when his sword 

Has won the battle for the free 
Thy voice sounds like a prophet's word, 
And in its hollow tones are heard 

The thanks of millions yet to be. 

Fitz-Greene Halleck. 

VI. Vocal Culture in Degrees of Force. 

We have seen (p. 38) that the second requisite to a good 
voice is Strength. Practice in the different Degrees of 
Force will give this strength of voice. The figure illustrat- 
ing the Degrees (p. 148) may be reproduced in larger form on 
the blackboard to represent to the eye the vocal execution 
of the following exercises : — 

1. Give phonetic sounds (p. 45) with notes of speech 
rising and falling alternately, through all the Degrees of 
Force, changing the Form and Quality at will, making each 
utterance stronger than the preceding one, until the last 
Degree of Impassioned is reached. 



; 



DEGREE OF FORCE. 



161 



2. Give the same, changing the Pitch only between the 
four subdivisions of Degrees of Force. 

3. Give the same, omitting the atonies, and using notes 
of song, without any change of Pitch. Repeat, beginning 
in a lower key ; repeat again in a higher key. 

The given Pitch sounded upon a piano or other musical instru- 
ment alternately with the vocal impulses will aid the student to 
retain the Pitch with which he began the scale. 

4. Give the tonics with a swell of the voice as indicated 
by the following figure, beginning with Oral Quality in the 
Subdued, increasing to the Orotund in Energetic Force, and 
then gradually decreasing to the faintest Oral in the Sub- 
dued Force. In this exercise the diminuendo should be 
made as Ions: and gradual as the crescendo. 




5. Give the tonics with an Effusive swell in each Quality 
as represented in the above figure, making the Degrees of 
Force in each correspond to the general contour of the 
figure. 

All these swells should be given with one breath. As a test the 
student should practice until he can repeat this exercise several 
times with moderate movement without inhalation. 

6. Repeat all the above exercises using the words all, 
live, in, isle, roll, on, sea, instead of the phonetic sounds 
named. 

In these, as in all vocal exercises the student should follow the 
suggestions given regarding the Mental feature of vocal culture 
(p. 39). He should vary these exercises and give them according 
to his strength and needs. 



l62 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



SECTION III. — STRESS. 

Stress is the application of Force to the different parts 
of a sound or syllable. Since there must be some Force 
while the sound continues, our use of the term Stress will 
imply the location of the heaviest degree of intensity 
applied to certain parts of sounds and syllables. There is a 
distinct Stress on each syllable of a spoken word, but the 
distinguishing Stress which marks the particular sentiment 
or meaning must be placed upon the accented syllable. 

As we shall make use of the names of the different kinds 
of Stress in showing them in nature and expression, it be- 
comes necessary to name and illustrate them before entering 
into a fuller explanation of each. 



I. Divisions and Graphic Illustrations. 
There are six varieties of Stress named and illustrated as 



follows : 



Stress. <l 



Radical 



Final 



Compound 



Median 



Thorough 



Intermittent * 




Force on first part. 



last part. 



first and last. 



middle. 



( ) 

I I 

OOQ> 

00000 
DQOOQ 



all parts alike. 



periodic parts. 



STRESS. 



if>3 



The preceding figures show merely the location of the Force 
and the Forms of voice in which each Stress may be given. 
They may be inflected or waved to represent the great 
variety of speech notes used in Melody. 

II. Comparison with Form. 

Writers on this subject have generally so confounded 
Stress with Form that students have not been able to dis- 
tinguish between them without the vocal illustration by some 
skillful teacher of the Rush system. In fact, Dr. Rush him- 
self is not clear upon a first reading, and many of his 
followers misinterpret him. 

The usual figures which illustrate Expulsive and Explosive 
Forms are identical with those illustrating Radical Stress ; 
while, to the student there seems to be an absolute conflict 
between these figures and those illustrating Final Stress. 

But let us combine the specific figures illustrating Form 
(p. 114) with the above illustrations of Stress, and the student 
will readily see that the Form relates solely to the smooth- 
ness or abruptness with which the Force is applied to the 
opening and closing of a sound; while Stress relates only 
to the location of the Force. The following cuts illustrate 
this idea : — 



Expulsive £ -f- 


Radical 


Explosive v fl| + 


it 


Expulsive £ -f- 


Final 


Explosive £j -f- 


a 


Expulsive -f- 


Compound 


Explosive U -j" 


a 


Effusive ,^^ + 


Median 


Expulsive ^ -J- 


Thorough 


Explosive |£-B -|- 


a 


Effusive ^^-{- 


Intermitten 


Expulsive Q -p 


n 


Explosive BB^4- 


a 





oocooo= •0000# 
IXXXXX1 = DGOOOOI 



164 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

III. Use of Stress in Expression. 

Now let us find a philosophic reason for the use of Stress 
in Elocution. A change of the location of Force from 
one part of a sound, syllable, or word to another, will 
change the sentiment or meaning. Let us prove this 
proposition. 

If a direct question is asked, and the simple answer " no " 
is given with Radical Stress it implies an ordinary answer 
unmarked by sentiment ; now let the answer be given with 
Final Stress in which the Force is transferred to the last 
part of the word, and the impression of determination, im- 
patience, or scorn is given. Give the same answer in Com- 
pound Stress and it implies irony or sarcasm; in Median 
Stress it conveys the sentiment of sorrow or pathos ; in 
Thorough Stress it becomes a call; and in the Intermittent 
it shows feebleness, or agitatio?i caused by joy or sorrow. In 
all these repetitions of "no" give the same Moderate 
Degree of Force, the same Normal Quality, and, (except in 
the Median which takes only the Effusive) the same Expul- 
sive Form ; and it will be seen that the changes of sentiment 
and meaning are marked by the chajiges of the location of 
Force. 

The sentence, " Brutus is an honorable man," given with 
Radical Stress is a simple statement of a fact ; but if the 
accented syllable of the word "honorable" be given in 
Compound Stress the whole sense is changed to the opposite 
meaning. 

If the words, " Pity the sorrows of a poor old man," are 
uttered with Median Stress they imply a pathetic injunction 
on the part of the speaker ; but if given in Intermittent 
Stress the speaker shows greater agitation, or he becomes a 
perso?iator of the "poor old man." Giving all the other 
elements alike in the two renditions, it will be seen that the 
difference is made by changing the single element of Stress. 






STRESS. I65 

The glad bark of a dog is in Radical Stress, his angry 

bark is in Final, and his mournful howl is in Median; we 
cannot doubt the differing significance of these three. The 
ringing laughter of children illustrates the Radical Stress ; 
their cry of sorrow or groan of pain is an unmistakable 
Median Stress. 

These illustrations prove our proposition ; and accepting 
it as a fact we must know exactly the significance of each 
Stress and be guided by that knowledge in our study of 
expression. 

IV. Adaptation to the Triune Nature. 

We have seen (p. 87) that Stress is a specific constituent 
of the generic element Force and is capable of subdivision 
into its varieties or kinds ; these kinds as expressive 
agents must correspond to man's triune nature. In the 
following classification we find no conflict between the 
ideas of Rush and Delsarte. 

.Radical 

, II MentaUv"""' N 

' ~"-~- -^Compound, _^ N 

,,.., S ,' _,Median ^-«N 

MAN ' III Emotive**'— " ~^~--% STRESS 

(as a Psychic^ "*—-—. Final _---^(a specific 

Being) X n vernal -~ ^/•.Vocal element) 

X JJffttal^jT- Thorough '"/ 

^--Intermittent''' 

By the light of this diagram, though not in this order, we 
will consider the Stresses. 

V. Radical Stress. 
1 . Law of Use. 

In Radical Stress the Force is applied strongest on the 
first part of the sound. This is the ordinary Stress which 
should predominate in all speech, and it may be placed on 
every word of a sentence. In fact it is the appropriate 
Stress for all the unemphatic words, even in a sentence in 



1 66 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

which the emphatic words demand some other Stress. The 
Radical is heard in the clapping of hands, the tap of the 
drum, the tick of a clock or watch, and in the animated 
conversation of all people in all languages. It corresponds 
to the Mental nature and is consequently the intellectual 
medium ; while each of the other Stresses may be said to 
convey some special significance of the Emotive or Vital 
nature. 

Mr. Murdoch says : " The clear Radical not only imparts 
clearness and brilliancy to language that is animated in its 
character, but it gives a penetrating power to the voice that 
carries it through space, and enables the speaker to put 
every syllabic utterance upon the ear of the auditor with- 
out any effort on the part of the latter. This constitutes 
the great charm of delivery." 

Our illustrative figures show that only the Expulsive and 
Explosive Forms can be given with Radical Stress ; then it 
may be used in all the combinations of these Forms with 
the Qualities, and hence in the expression of the thoughts 
and sentiments assigned to these combinations (p. 124). Its 
most characteristic combinations, however, will be found 
with those Qualities which correspond most nearly to the 
Mental nature, namely : the Normal and Orotund (p. 91) ; 
hence the most general use of the Radical for emphatic 
purposes is in the expression of such kinds of thought as 
narration, didactic thought, patriotism, gaiety, courage, etc. 

The student should practice the following : 

2. Illustrative Selections. 

From THE BELLS. 

Hear the sledges with the bells, — silver bells ; 
What a world of merriment their melody foretells ! 

How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle 
In the icy air of night ! 

While the stars that over sprinkle 



STRESS. 167 

All the heavens, seem to twinkle 
With a crystalline delight ; 
Keeping time, time, time, 
In a sort of Runic rhyme, 
To the tintinabulation that so musically wells 
From the bells, bells, bells, bells, bells, — - 
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells. 

Edgar A. Poe. 

From ADVICE TO YOUNG LAWYERS. 

Whene'er you speak, remember every cause 
Stands not on elocj^ience, but stands on laws ; 
Pregnant in matter, in expression brief, 
Let every sentencexstand with bold relief ; 
On trifling points nor time nor talents waste, 
A sad offense to learning and to taste ; 
Nor deal with pompous phrase, nor e'er suppose 
Poetic flights belong to reasoning prose. 

Begin with dignity; expound with grace 

Each ground of reasoning in its time and place ; 

Let order reign throughout ; each topic touch, 

Nor urge its potyer too little nor too much ; 

Give each strong thought its most attractive view, 

In diction clear and yet severely true ; 

And, as the arguments in splendor grow, 

Let each reflect its light on all below ; 

When to the close arrived, make no delays 

By petty flourishes or verbal plays, 

But sum the whole in one deep, solemn strain, 

Like a strong current hastening to the main. 

Judge Story. 

VI. Final Stress. 

1 . Law of Use. 

In Final Stress the Force is placed mainly upon the 
last part of the sound. It can be given only in the Ex- 
pulsive and Explosive Forms. We have this Stress in the 



1 68 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

sneeze or hiccough, in the premonitory growl and final angry 
bark of a dog when he snaps at the object of his anger, or 
in the determined tones of a resolute, self-willed person. It 
is the opposite of the Radical and expresses almost opposite 
sentiments. If the student will utter the words : " I will do 
this " with Radical Stress, and then give the same words 
with a Final Stress on the word " will " the changed senti- 
ment will be apparent. 

Our diagram (p. 165) shows the Final to be one of the 
pivotal Stresses responding about equally to the Emotive 
and Vital natures. The student is here referred to the 
statements made concerning the pivotal Qualities (p. 91). 

The Final, in its appropriate Forms combined with the 
Normal and Orotund Qualities, will express self-assertion, 
determination, resolutio?i, courage, or defiance ; while with the 
Pectoral, Aspirate, or Guttural it expresses the awful, secret, 
or malignant emotions, such as wonder, amazeme?it, horror, 
rebuke, scorn, contempt, hate, or revenge* For practice the 
student should give Final Stress on the underscored words 
in the following selections. It must be understood, how- 
ever, that this marking shows but one of several conceptions 
of the same lines. 

2. Illustrative Selections. 
From THE SEMINOLE'S REPLY. 

I loathe ye in my bosom, 

I scorn ye with mine eye, 
And I'll taunt ye with my latest breath, 

And fight ye till I die ! 

~ G. W, Patten. 

From COUNT CANDESPENA'S STANDARD. 

" Yield, madman, yield ! thy horse is down, 
Thou hast nor lance nor shield ; 



STRESS. 169 

Fly ! — I will grant thee time." " This flag 

Can neither fly nor yield ! " 

_ G. H. Boker. 

From OTHELLO. Act II, Scene 3- 

Cassio. I will rather sue to be despised, than to deceive so 
good a commander with so slight, so drunken, and so indiscreet 
an officer. Drunk, and speak parrot? and squabble, swagger, 
swear? and discourse fustian with one's own shadow? — O thou 



invisible spirit of wine, if thou hast no name to be known by, let 
us call thee devil ! 



Iago. What was he that you followed with your sword? What 
had he done to you? 

Cas. I know not. 

Iago. Is't possible? 

Cas. I remember a mass of things, but nothing distinctly ; a 
quarrel, but nothing wherefore. — O God, that men should put an 
enemy in their mouths, to steal away their brains ! that we should, 
with joy, revel, pleasure, and applause, transform ourselves into 
beasts ! 

Iago. Why, but you are now well enough. How came you 
thus recovered? 

Cas. It hath pleased the devil, drunkenness, to give place to 
the devil, wrath : one unperfectness shows me another, to make 
me frankly despise myself. 

Iago. Come, you are too severe a moraler : As the time, the 
place, and the condition of this country stands, I could heartily 
wish this had not befallen ; but, since it is as it is, mend it for 
your own good. 

Cas. I will ask him for my place again ; he shall tell me I am 
a drunkard ! Had I as many mouths as Hydra, such an answer 
would stop them all. To be now a sensible man, by and by a 
fool, and presently a beast ! O strange ! — Every inordinate cup 
is unblessed, and the ingredient is a devil. — Shakespeare. 



I/O PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

VII. Compound Stress. 
I. Law of Use* 

Our illustrative figure shows the Compound to be a 
"double-faced" Stress with the Force upon the first and 
last parts of the sound. It admits of the Expulsive and 
Explosive Eor?jis. It is an attempt at combining two 
opposite Stresses, the Radical and Final, with their oppo- 
site significance, which implies a falsity upon the face of 
it. It is characteristic of falsity of statement and irony of 
purpose. It is heard in childish mimicry and in the mock- 
ing laughter of ridicule. It is the Stress employed when 
one wishes to say one thing and mean another, hence it is 
used in the expression of insinuation, mockery, satire, taunt, 
sarcasm, derision, etc., all of which convey the idea of emotion 
or feeling tinged with mentality of a disagreeable nature. 
Our diagram (p. 165) shows this as the other pivotal Stress 
responding about equally to the Mental and Emotive 
natures. 

Like the other unusual Stresses it must be used only on 
the particular words which, according to the speaker's con- 
ception, embody the emotion. Read the following sen- 
tences aloud and give the underscored words in Compound 
Stress. 

2. Illustrative Selections. 

From CATILINE'S DEFIANCE. 

I do not rise to waste the night in words ; 

Let that Plebeian talk, 'tis not my trade ; 

But here I stand for right, — let him show proofs, — 

For Roman right, though none, it seems, dare stand 

To take their share with me. Ay, cluster there ! 

Banish'd from Rome ! What's banish'd but set free 



From daily contact with the things I loathe? 



STRESS. I 7 I 

" Tried and convicted traitor ! " Who says this ? 

Who'll prove it, at his peril, on my head? 

Banish 'd ! I thank you for't : it breaks my chain ! 

I held some slack allegiance till this hour ; 

But now my sword's my own. Smile on, my Lords ! 

I scorn to count what feelings, wither'd hopes, 

Strong provocations, bitter, burning wrongs, 

I have within my heart's hot cells shut up, 

To leave you in your lazy dignities. 

George Croly. 

From THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL. Act II, Scene i. 

Sir Peter Teazle. Lady Teazle, Lady Teazle, I'll not bear it ! 

Lady Teazle. Sir Peter, Sir Peter, you may bear it or not, as 
you please ; but I ought to have my own way in everything ; and, 
what's more, I will too. What though I was educated in the 
country, I know very well that women of fashion in London are 
accountable to nobody after they are married. 

Sir P. Very well, ma'am, very well ; so a husband is to have 
no influence, no authority? 

Lady T. Authority ! No, to be sure : if you wanted authority 
over me, you should have adopted me, and no£ married me ; I am 
sure you were old enough. 

Sir P. Old enough ! ay, there it is ! Well, well, Lady Teazle, 
though my life may be made unhappy by your temper, I'll not be 
ruined by your extravagance. 

Lady T. My extravagance ! I'm sure I'm not more extrava- 
gant than a woman ought to be. 

Sir P. No, no, madam, you shall throw away no more sums 
on such unmeaning luxury. 'Slife ! to spend as much to furnish 
your dressing-room with flowers in Winter as would suffice to 
turn the Pantheon into a green-house, and give a fete champetre 
at Christmas ! 



172 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Lady T. Sir Peter, am I to blame because flowers are dear in 
cold weather? You should find fault with the climate, and not 
with me. For my part, I'm sure, I wish it was Spring all the 
year round, and that roses grew under our feet ! 

Sir P. Oons, madam ! if you had been born to this, I shouldn't 
wonder at your talking thus ; but you forget what your situation 
was when I married you. 

Lady T. No, no, I don't ; 'twas a very disagreeable one, or I 
should never have married you. — Richard Brinsley Sheridan. 

VIII. Median Stress. 
1. Law of Use. 

In the Median Stress the Force is placed chiefly upon 
the middle part of the sound, making a swell of the voice 
which varies according to the intensity required. It is 
heard in the sigh of pathos, the moaning wind, the melan- 
choly howl of a dog, the swell of a pipe-organ, and the 
groan of a child in sorrow or pain. 

The Median is a distinctly Emotive stress and can be 
given only with the Effusive which is an Emotive Form ; 
this fact at once gives the key to its proper use. It is the 
appropriate Stress for all sentiments assigned to the com- 
bination of the Effusive Form with the Qualities (p. 124) ; 
having proved these in Nature and expression we have only 
to repeat a few of them here such as pathos, sorrow, reverence, 
awe, etc. A skillful use of this Stress adds great beauty to 
the utterance of those sentiments which require it. 

2. Illustrative Selections. 

From DRIFTING. 

My soul to-day is far away, 

Sailing the Vesuvian Bay ; 

My winged boat, a bird afloat, 

Swims round the purple peaks remote : 



STRESS. 173 

Round purple peaks it sails, and seeks 

Blue inlets and their crystal creeks, 

Where high rocks throw, through deeps below, 

A duplicated golden glow. 

Far, vague, and dim the mountains swim ; 
While, on Vesuvius' misty brim, 
With outstretch'd hands the gray smoke stands 
O'erlooking the volcanic lands. 

In lofty lines, 'mid palms and pines, 
And olives, aloes, elms, and vines, 
Sorrento swings on sunset wings, 
Where Tasso's spirit soars and sings-. 

Here Ischia smiles o'er liquid miles ; 
And yonder, bluest of the Isles, 
Calm Capri waits, her sapphire gates 
Beguiling to her bright estates. 

I heed not, if my rippling skiff 
Float swift or slow from cliff to cliff : 
With dreamful eyes my spirit lies 
Under the walls of Paradise. 

T. B. Read. 

From MAGDALENA. 

The breeze of the evening that cools the hot air, 
That kisses the orange and shakes out thy hair, 
Is its freshness less welcome, less sweet its perfume, 
That you know not the region from which it is come? 
Whence the wind blows, where the wind goes, 
Hither and thither and whither — who knows ? 

Who knows ? 
Hither and thither, — but whither — who knows ? 

The river forever glides singing along, 
The rose on the bank bends down to its song ; 
And the flower, as it listens, unconsciously dips, 
Till the rising wave glistens and kisses its iips : 



174 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

But why the wave rises and kisses the rose, 

And why the rose stoops for those kisses — who knows? 

Who knows ? 
And away flows the river, — but whither — who knows ? 

/. F. Waller. 

From ROMEO AHD JULIET. Act II, Scene 2. 

Romeo. She speaks. — 

O, speak again, bright angel ! for thou art 
As glorious to this night, being o'er my head, 
As is a winged messenger of heaven 
Unto the white up-turned wond'ring eyes 
Of mortals, that fall back to gaze on him, 
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing clouds, 
And sails upon the bosom of the air. 

Juliet. O Romeo, Romeo ! wherefore art thou Romeo? 
Deny thy father, and refuse thy name ; 
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, 
And I'll no longer be a Capulet. 

Rom. [Aside.] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this? 

Jul. 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; — 
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. 
What's Montague ? it is nor hand, nor foot, 
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part 
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name ! 
What's in a name ? that which we call a rose 
By any other name would smell as sweet ; 
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, 
Retain that dear perfection which he owes 
Without that title. — Romeo, doff thy name ; 
And for that name, which is no part of thee, 
Take all myself. 

Shakespeare. 

IX. Thorough Stress. 
1. Law oj Use. 

In the Thorough Stress the Force continues about the 
same throughout the sound. It admits of the Expulsive 






STRESS. 175 

and Explosive Forms. It is heard in the crowing of the 
cock, the lowing of cattle, the calls of the- herdsman, and 
the glad hurrah of triumph or victory, all of which echo the 
truth of our classification of the Thorough as a Vital Stress. 

The predominant significance of this Stress is calling, 
which implies distance between the speaker and the object 
or person addressed ; hence it is the appropriate Stress for 
command^ triumph, shouting, warning, apostrophe, lofty appeal, 
etc., all of which embody the idea of calling. 

Since the illustrative figures and the general significance 
of the Thorough Stress indicate an unusual amount of 
Quantity or length of utterance, care should be taken not to 
place it on a sound or syllable that is not capable of being 
prolonged without a drawl (See p. 46). For instance, if one 
wishes to call "Jack," he should place the long sound "O," 
as an interjection before the name, and give the Thorough 
Stress on that interjection — not on the short syllable 
"Jack." 

Practice the following selections, giving the Thorough 
Stress on the words suggested by the context. 



2. Illustrative Selections. 

From VIRGINIA: A LAY OF ANCIENT ROME. 

When Appius Claudius saw that deed, he shudder'd and sank 

down, 
And hid his face, some little space, with the corner of his gown, 
Till, with white lips and blood-shot eyes, Virginius totter'd nigh, 
And stood before the judgment-seat, and held the knife on high : 
" O ! dwellers in the nether gloom, avengers of the slain, 
By this dear blood I cry to you, do right between us twain ; 
And, even as Appius Claudius hath dealt by me and mine, 
Deal thou by Appius Claudius, and all the Claudian line ! " 

Macaulay. 



I76 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

From THE CHARCOAL MAN. 
Though rudely blows the wintry blast, 
And sifting snows fall white and fast, 
Mark Haley drives along the street, 
Perch'd high upon his wagon seat : 
His sombre face the storm defies, 
And thus from morn till eve he cries,— 
" Charco' ! charco' ! " 



While echo faint and far replies, — 

" Hark, O ! hark, O 1 " 
" Charco' ! " — " Hark, O ! " — Such cheery sounds 
Attend him on his daily rounds. 

J. T. Trowbridge. 

From CREEDS OF THE BELLS. 

" In deeds of love excel — excel," 



Chimed out from ivied towers a bell ; 
" This is the Church not built on sands, 
Emblem of one not built with hands : 



Its forms and sacred rites revere ; 

Come worship here — come worship here ; 

Its rituals and faith excel — excel," 



Chimed out th' Episcopalian bell. 

" O, heed the ancient landmarks well," 
In solemn tones exclaim'd a bell ; 
" No progress made by mortal man 
Can change the just, eternal plan : 
With God there can be nothing new ; 
Ignore the false, embrace the true 
While all is well — is well — is well," 
Peal'd out the good old Dutch Church bell. 

Geo. W. Bungay. 



STRESS. 177 

From MACBETH. Act V, Scene 5. 

Macbeth. Hang out our banners on the outward walls ; 
The cry is still, They come : Our castle's strength 
Will laugh a siege to scorn. Here let them lie 
Till famine and the ague eat them up : 
Were they not fore'd with those that should he ours, 
We might have met them dareful, beard to beard, 
And beat them backward home. What is that noise ? 

Ring the alarum bell ! — Blow, wind ! come, wrack ! 
At least we'll die with harness on our back. 

Shakespeare. 
X. Intermittent Stress. 

1. Law of Use. 

In the Intermittent Stress the Force is placed upon 
periodic parts of the sound. The illustrative figures show 
that it may be given in all the Forms. Dr. Rush has 
treated this Stress from the standpoint of Pitch, showing 
the relative changes of the little impulses or " tittles " which 
make the " tremulo; " but if we remember the essential fact 
that all Stresses must be varied in Pitch when used as 
speech-notes, and that these impulses are simply manifes- 
tations of Force i?t recurrent, periodic places throughout the 
sound, we must recognize it as a Stress. 

Other writers following Dr. Rush have given excellent 
lists of words showing the sentiments and emotions appro- 
priate to this Stress, and in no case have we found an in- 
correct statement ; but let us find the underlying law upon 
which the student may rest these statements. 

The physical agitation indicated by the Intermittent Stress 
evidently places it in the Vital division. We hear it in the 
opposite Vital emotions of laughter and crying, of ecstatic joy 
and deep sorroic, of defiant courage and extreme fright. In all 



lyS PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

these we observe that the whole body is tremulous. We 
also observe that the voice trembles whenever the body is 
shaken even mechanically, by the shaking of the arm or leg, 
the rapid striking of the chest or back, or by the chilling 
effect of sudden cold. We may also shake the larynx 
mechanically by the alternate contraction and relaxation 
of the muscles, and the projection of the Force in inter- 
mitting impulses is the result. 

Then in expression we must recognize the law that whatever 
mental, emotive, or physical condition produces agitatio?i of body 
must produce Intermittent Stress during vocalization. The stu- 
dent will clearly recognize the use of this Stress in the excita- 
bility of the above named emotions, and a long list of such 
emotions and conditions as feebleness, senility, ti7?iidity, grief, 
tenderness, pathos, excited expectancy, alarm, terror, rage, etc. 

The Intermittent Stress may be given on all the words 
of a clause or sentence since the agitation causing it would 
rarely cease for the unemphatic words, but would continue 
during the entire utterance. It would, however, be made 
more prominent on the more emphatic words. 

2. Illustrative Selections. 

From LADY CLARE. 
In there came old Alice the nurse, 

Said, " Who was this that went from thee ? " 



" It was my cousin," said Lady Clare, 
" To-morrow he weds with me." 

" O, God be thank'd ! " said Alice the nurse, 
" That all comes round so just and fair ; 

Lord Ronald is heir of all your lands, 
And you are not the Lady Clare." 

"Are ye out of your mind, my nurse, my nurse,' 
Said Lady Clare, "that ye speak so wild?" 



STRESS. 179 

"As God's above," said Alice the nurse, 
" I speak the truth : you are my child. 

The old Earl's daughter died at my breast ; 

I speak the truth, as I live by bread ! 
I buried her like my own sweet child, 

And put my child in her stead.*' 

Tennyson. 

From JULIUS CAESAR. Act IV, Scene 3. 

Cassius. You love me not. 



Brutus. I do not like your faults. 

Cass. A friendly eye could never see such faults. 

Bru. A flatterer's would not, though they did appear 

As huge as high Olympus. 

Cass. Come, Antony, and young Octavius, come, 
Revenge yourselves alone on Cassius, 
For Cassius is a-weary of the world ; 
Hated by one he loves ; brav'd by his brother ; 
Check'd like a bondman ; all his faults observ'd, 
Set in a note-book, learn'd, and conn'd by rote, 
To cast into my teeth. O, I could weep 
My spirit from mine eyes ! — There is my dagger, 
And here my naked breast ; within, a heart 
Dearer than Plutus' mine, richer than gold : 
If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth ; 
I, that denied thee gold, will give my heart : 
Strike, as thou didst at Caesar ; for I know, 
When thou didst hate him worst, thou lov'dst him better 
Than ever thou lov' dst Cassius. 

Bru. Sheath your dagger: 

Be angry when you will, it shall have scope ; 
Do what you will, dishonour shall be humour. 
O Cassius, you are yoked with a lamb 



l80 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

That carries anger as the flint bears fire ; 
Who, much enforced, shows a hasty spark, 
And straight is cold again. 

Cass. Hath Cassius liv'd 

To be but mirth and laughter to his Brutus, 
When grief, and blood ill-temper 7 d, vexeth him ? 

Bru. When I spoke that, I was ill-temper'd too. 

Cass. Do you confess so much? Give me your hand. 

Bru. And my heart too. 

Cass. O Brutus, — 

Bru. What's the matter ? 



Cass. Have you not love enough to bear with me, 
When that rash humour which my mother gave me 
Makes me forgetful ? 

Bru. Yes, Cassius; and, henceforth, 

When you are over-earnest with your Brutus, 
He'll think your mother chides, and leave you so. 

Shakespeare. 

XL Relative Values of the Triune Nature in 
the Stresses. 

Our general classification of the subdivisions of Force 
(p. 114) assigns Stress to the Mental division. The preced- 
ing treatment of Stress warrants the following approximate 
values : — 

Radical = Mental 50, Vital 40, Emotive 10, = 100. 

Final = Emotive 40, Vital 40, Mental 20, = 100. 

Compound = Mental 40, Emotive 40, Vital 20, = 100. 

Median = Emotive 50, Mental 40, Vital 10, = 100. 

Thorough = Vital 50, Mental 30, Emotive 20, = 100. 

Intermittent = Vital 50, Mental 40, Emotive 10, = 100. 

The aggregate values for each of the three Natures gives 
the Mental 220 (= first), the Vital 210 (= second), and 



STRESS. I8l 

the Emotive 170 (= third). Then in Stress the Mental 
leads, followed closely by the Vital, and more remotely 
by the Emotive Nature. 

XII. Combinations of Stresses with Forms and 
Qualities. 

As a mental exercise we now present a diagram showing 
all the possible combinations of the Stresses with the 
Forms and Qualities. The Degrees of Force are omitted 
in order to reduce the diagram, but these may be added by 
incorporating the table already given (p. 153). In the blank 
space opposite each Stress the student should write the 
appropriate kind of thought, sentiment, or emotion for the 
given combination, without repeating any word. He may 
modify a word, e. g., joy, lighter joy ; sorrow, deepest sorrow ; 
irony, irony with anger ; but the strictest adherence to this 
condition will furnish a mental discipline equivalent to that 
claimed for similar exercises in the sister sciences. 

We suggest that the pupil first write his answers to these 
combinations on a separate sheet of paper for the criticism 
of the instructor and for further revision before finally 
writing them in the blank spaces of the book. 



__ .Median 
Normal^-——" 

"-"""-----Intermittent. 



/' __Median 

/ jOrotund^-— - " 

/ ^'' ~~ ~~ ----Intermittent - 

/ ,*' .Median 

EFFUSIVE^.'. Oral.--— "' 

»>•.,, — --Intermittent- 

\ "-, v Median 

\ ^- Aspirate-^-- ~~ 

\ ------- Jntermittent- 



. __Median 

\PectoraL— - 

------ — Intermittent. 



I 82 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



^Radical 
/,-Einal 

Nbrmal^g'£ll Compound - 

/ ^ ~~--jrhorough 

^^Intermittent- 
Jladical 
,-'' ^Einal 

protund^iill Compound - 

X v ^-OThor.ough - 
^Jntermittent- 
f Radical 
„'" ^.FJnal 

^Oral^&il' Compound - 

^V^ ""--- .Thorough - 
^Jntermittent- 
^Radical 
,^' ^, Final 

- Aspirate^r.'r Compound - 

^"vj~~~- -..Thorough - 
^Intermittent - 
Radical 
^''' JEinal 

xGuttural^-'rl 1 Compound - 

^""---...Thorough - 



EXPULSIVE^ 



^Jntermittent- 
JRadical 
^x^ ...Final 

CectoraLr-rrrr Compound - 

^.T~~"~ --.Thorough - 
x - -Intermittent- 



STRESS. 183 



explosive!' 



^Radical 

,,''" ..-Final . 

^NormaL/-'-:; Compound 

/ x ^v N ""--Thorough . 

/ Nv >. 

* ^^Intermittent. 

^.Radical 

,-'' ...Final 

/Orotund^ll Compound . 

\ "---Thorough - 
^^Jntermittent^ 
.Radical 
,*'' ^Final 

XAspirate<s^-'-l Compound _ 

^"-./"'--Thorough - 
^Intermittent 
^.Radical 

VG.utturaL/r'_' Compound 

X .^---Thorotrgh - 
"^•Intermittent- 



XIII. Vocal Exercises in Stress. 

In the chapter on Voice Culture (p. 37) we have seen the 
necessity for flexibility of voice ; the following exercises 
are designed to give this flexibility : — 

1. Give all or as many of the tonic sounds (p. 45) as 
desirable in all of the above combinations of Stress, Form, 
and Quality. 

2. Give the tonics in all the Stresses in the order 
named (p. 162) first slowly and then in rapid succession. 

3. Give the same in Moderate and Energetic Degrees of 
Force. 

4. Give the same in middle, low, and high key. 

5 . Give the same in upward and downward Slide* 



184 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

To represent this to the eye the illustrative figures (p. 1 62) should 
be reproduced on the blackboard as notes of speech in their 
rising and falling positions. 

6. Repeat the preceding exercises using words that 
can be prolonged without a drawl (p. 65) such as me, nay, 
arm, all, roll, full, ton, joy. 



CHAPTER III. — PITCH. 

Pitch is that element of expression which relates to the 
location, variation, and succession of speech notes on the 
scale. By location is meant the point in the compass of 
voice at which a sound is uttered ; by variation is meant 
the transition from one point of Pitch to another ; and by 
succession is meant the relative position of notes in discourse. 
These divisions are called respectively, — Degree, Change, 
and Melody. 

Pitch is determined not by the timbre of the sound nor 
by its volume, but by the number of the vibrations of the 
sounding body which occur in a given time. The marvelous 
changes of Pitch necessary to express different states of 
the mind are effected by the degrees of tension of the 
vocal cords and by the vertical movements of the larynx. 
According to physiologists the greatest variation in the 
length of the cords in voice production from the gravest to 
the most acute tones, is but an eighth of an inch, while 
that of the upward and downward movement of the larynx 
is about an inch. 

With respect to Pitch, sounds, whether produced by the 
human voice or by any other means, may be separated into 
two classes, Tunable and Untunable. 

I. Tunable Sound. 

Tunable sounds consist of regular vibrations. The waves 
of air produced by the vibrating body strike the ear-drum at 
regularly recurrent intervals. The constituent vibrations of 
such tones are periodic, so that there is no jar or clash in 
their succession. The kinds of tunable sound are : Song, 
which includes all strictly musical sound ; and Speech} 

l Song-notes and speech-notes have already been briefly referred to (p. 115). 

18S 



I 86 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

A Note of Song is a sound produced on a continuous 
or level plane of Pitch. In a succession of such notes the 
first is held its due time ; then, after an interruption, the 
voice either strikes the next tone on the same Degree or 
passing by a slur or step to another plane, attacks a new 
tone in the same manner. 

A Note of Speech is a sound that is carried from one 
Degree of the scale to another without being held appreci- 
ably at any particular point. From the first point of 
contact, the tones proceed either upward or downward 
throughout their length, touching all the Degrees from the 
opening to the close of the tone without dwelling on any 
of them. 

i. Song-notes and Speech-notes Contrasted. 

Song attacks tone horizontally, speech vertically; the 
one proceeds on Pitch, the other through Pitch ; the one is 
uniform in elevation while it exists, the other is constantly 
varying ; the one is heard through intervals, the other at 
the boundaries of intervals ; song-notes may be illustrated 
by "stopping" a vibrating violin string at different intervals 
on the finger-board, — speech-notes by sliding the finger up 
or down the vibrating string. 

It is the design in music always to please or delight, 
hence purity of tone is the first essential of song. Speech 
is not necessarily pure in Quality ; anger and disgust and 
other passions that jar the mind are not properly expressed 
in absolutely clear tones. 

It should be noted in this connection that song is more 
fatiguing to the voice than speech. During the progress 
of a note of song the cords must be held in a uniform 
position ; in speech they are constantly varying in tension 
and therefore resting. 

Edmund Burke in the trial of Hastings opened with a four 
days' speech and closed with a nine days' speech. It would have 
been quite a different undertaking to sing for so long a time. 



PITCH. 



87 



2. Points of Resemblance. 

It is clear that both Song and Speech have Melodies, that of 
song being the more exact. Both have slides and skips. 
The slur of song is identical with the slide of speech except 
that as a transitional tone it has not the fullness of the 
speech note, the voice passing very lightly over the interval. 
The portamento more nearly than any other act of song — 
aside from the steps which are identical — resembles the 
slide of speech. 

In illustrating this resemblance graphically we have 
departed somewhat from the prevailing system of musical 
notation in adopting the following characters, which, if less 
economical in space are at' least more significant of the 
element of Time : 



NOTES OF SONG. 



- whole note 

- half note 

- quarter note 

- eighth note 

- sixteenth note 

- thirty-second note 



3. Evolution of the Speech-note. 

The following figures are designed to show the evolution 
of the speech-note from notes of song : 

Fig. 1. 




I 3 



I J 



La, la, la, 



la, la, la. 



188 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



Sound the syllable la in each of the notes as in Fig. i, giv- 
ing them their full time and making the contact and 
release exactly on the points of pitch indicated ; then sound 
the 

Fig:. 2. 



B=^ 



h 



La, 



la. 



same notes, joining them with the slur as indicated in the 
second figure. 

Fig. 3. 




Next sound quarter notes, joining them as before with 
the slur. 

Fig*. 4 




Sound eighth notes, as in Fig. 4, slurring the notes. 




Sound sixteenth notes, as in Fig. 5, slurring the notes. 
Fig. 6. 




So we might continue shortening the time of these notes 
as in Fig. 6, at the same time giving more weight to the 
transitional part of the tone, until no appreciable time is 
spent on any particular point of pitch, and thus evolve the 
speech-note as shown in Fig. 7. 1 

Fig. 7. 




La, la. 



1 William E. Gladstone, in a letter to the late Professor Plumptre of King's 
College, London, wrote as follows in regard to notes of speech : " We really in 
our speeches, as, indeed, in ordinary conversation, run up and down the scale 
without giving any heed to it ; not, it is true, with the separate and full notes of 
song but with partially formed notes that melt or slide, as it were, into one 
another, either ascending or descending in the musical scale." 



190 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



4. Wrong Use of Song-notes in Speech. 

Song should never be introduced into speech except in those 
rare cases where it is employed for purposes of imitation or 
impersonation. The sing-song style, sometimes called the 
"Puritanical whine," is a combination of speech and song. 
It may be illustrated with the following stanza : — 

From CONTINUED HELP. 

When all thy mercies, O my God, 
My rising soul surveys, 
Transported with the view I 'm lost 
In wonder, love, and praise. 

foseph Addison. 

The principal syllables are generally unduly drawn out, 
held on a level plane of Pitch, and then finally given the 
speech-note. In certain syllables that end with vowels or 
liquids the note of song is again added at the last of the 
impulse, thus : — 



B 



J^. 



1=^ 



t=V 



^y 



d 



RlS - INQ 

Transported 1 



mer cies 

SOUL 
VIEW 
LOVE 



_0 

SUR • VEYS 



God 



The last syllable is usually sounded lower in Pitch but with 
the same " song-speech " note and without a Cadence. 



DEGREE OF PITCH. IQI 



II. Untunaijlk Sound. 



Untunable sounds consist of irregular vibrations, i. e., 
such as are not periodical and do not occur at appreciable 
intervals of time. Untunable sound jars, while tunable 
sound soothes, the nerves. All noise is untunable. Such 
sounds are heard in the crash of falling timbers, the slam- 
ming of a door, or the rattle of a wagon over a stony street. 

III. Relation of Pitch to the Triune Nature. 

Our general diagram of the Elements of Expression 
(p. 87) shows the relation of Pitch to Man's Triune Nature ; 
for the sake of convenience we have reproduced a section 
of this diagram. 

JX, Vita] ^ Degree^ ...^ 

(as fpsvch^-"---- IL MentaL Chan S e ---33^ P ITC - H 

ReinE? ^ . ^-~- (a generic vo- 



Being) 



-III. Emotive Melody --"" cal element) 



Here as in Force Degree marks Vitality; the high or 
low Degree of a tone shows its vitality. A Change of Pitch 
from one Degree to another modulates the voice into language 
and reveals its Mentality. The continued succession of 
notes in pleasing or discordant Melody manifests the 
Emotion of utterance. 

The further truth of this analogy will be shown in the 
fuller treatment of Degree, Change, and Melody. 



SECTION I. — DEGREE OF PITCH. 

Degree of Pitch relates not only to the compass or 
range of voice from the highest to the lowest tone, but 
also to the position on the scale given to a particular 
utterance. The various Degrees of Pitch are relative and 



192 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



are regulated by the rate of vibrations of the vocal cords. 
Some voices are high in range, while others are low ; some 
are wide in range, while others are either narrow or employ 
but few notes in their melody. 

I. Compass of the Speaking Voice. 

The average compass of the speaking voice, not includ- 
ing the Falsetto which has a scale as well as a Quality of 
its own, is something less than two octaves, — say about 
thirteen or fourteen notes. For convenience this compass 
is divided into five parts, called Degrees: the Middle, the 
Low, the Very Low, the High, and the Very High. The 
following diagram is designed to show the several Degrees 
of Pitch, and the range on the musical scale of the average 
voice : — 



Degrees < 



:D: 
:C : 


Very High 


: B : 
: A: 
: G : 


High 


: F : 
: E : 
: D: 
: C : 


Middle 


:B : 
: A: 


Low 


:G: 
: F : 


Very Low 



i. The Middle Degree, as shown in the diagram, includes 
about four notes of the compass, let us say C, D, E, and F 
of the musical scale. It is employed so much more fre- 
quently than any other Degree that it may be said to be the 
rule, the basis, the starting point of delivery. 

2. The Low Degree ranges about two tones lower than 
the Middle ; for the average voice it includes B and A of 
the musical scale. 

3. The Very Low Degree has a range of about two 
notes, G and F, below the Low. 



DEGREE OF PITCH. 1 93 

4. The High Degree comprises about three tones of the 
scale, G, A, and B. The wider range in the higher Degrees 
is accounted for in the fact that our ordinary speaking Pitch 
is a little below the middle of the compass. 

5. The Very High ranges about two notes, C and D, 
higher than the High Degree. 

The voice ranges easily from one part of the compass to 
another, each Degree being associated and blended with those 
next to it. The Higher Degrees are intimately associated, 
as are also the Lower ; and the Middle is usually accom- 
panied by some notes of both the High and the Low Degrees. 

We find, for example, that in Nature and consequently in 
proper expression, the sentiment of reverence requires Low 
Degree of Pitch. But while that is the average Pitch for 
this sentiment as a style of thought, it may also range 
through the Middle and Very Low. The exact position 
is dependent upon the sentiment, whether it be that of 
joy or sorrow. When not moved by any unusual emotion 
we express our normal thoughts, calm reasoning, didactic and 
ordinary argumentative discourse in the middle part of the 
compass ; but the moment the feeling of solemnity, adoration, 
or awe takes hold of the mind the voice seeks a lower range 
for expression. In all nature subdued emotions, deeply serious 
or gloomy thoughts find expression in the lower part of the 
compass ; but on the other hand, when joy, delight, alarm, 
or defiance move us, they find expression in the higher 
ranges of Pitch. 

As we have scales for measuring distance, and the tem- 
perature and pressure of the air, so we may have a graduated 
scale of Pitch for registering the utterance of different 
thoughts and passions. Let us indicate these so that the 
student may without difficulty determine the Pitch of any 
sentiment. The following diagram is designed to show the 
approximate limitations of Form and Quality in the several 
Degrees of Pitch. 



194 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



II. Scale of Limitations and Range of Pitch. 









Effusive 










Expulsive 






Explosive 

A 




/> I 


4 
















/■a: o 




























T — ' 








/>! 


• 


























9 


































1 X 




































\ ° 






























:> 




X \ I 


• 























Z 


CO 

2~CD~ 


1- \ 


• 












O > 






S 33 ^ J 


Q. 1 

o/ " 


• 





"\ 


C 

3 
-1 

r 


j 





Z o ? 


3 TJ 


— 


£_ |_ 


X Q 






A 








!F a 




c 














Ld w 
o / 


• 
• 


5 

: 

5 

r 


5 — 

D 

: — ! 
< 


>- 



5 


c 

■ 

1 


3 

a 
H 









— 


— 


3 

J 

r 


o 

: TJ 

m 

o 
H 
O 


— 








— 


LlI # 






















°/ * 


• 




z 


TJ 








r 






# o< 










— o — 












f " ! 


• 








H 
O 

31 






















> 








I (f*l 


• 


















\ Ul o< 




















H 


• 



















I. Explanation of the Scale. 

The student will observe the similarity between the plan 
of this scale and that in Degrees of Force (p. 153). Having 
familiarized himself with one, he understands the use of the 
other. The truth of these limitations and ranges of Form 
and Quality in Pitch may be proved in Nature and expres- 
sion by the course of reasoning which is followed out in the 
treatment of the scale of Force. The two diagrams harmo- 
nize perfectly. However, that this section may not seem 
incomplete in itself, we call attention to a few of the most 
important limitations. 

Normal Effusive as we have already shown, is heard in 
the expression of solemnity^ tra?iquillity, and pathos} As this 

1 For the kinds of thought and emotion expressed by these combinations, the 
student is again referred to the table on page 124. 






DEGREE OF PITCH. 1 95 

combination of Quality and Form is limited to Low, Middle, 
and a part of High Degree of Pitch, it follows that these 
sentiments may range easily over this part of the speaking 
compass. The pathos of joy requires a higher range than 
the pathos of sorrow; poetic and imaginative features of 
tranquillity carry expression higher in Pitch than simple 
repose; but all would come within the prescribed limi- 
tations. Furthermore the lowest note of the Normal 
would not vibrate in the Very Low Pitch. Our diagram 
shows that only the Orotund and Pectoral Qualities range 
in the Very Low Degree ; this is a result of physiological 
causes. 

The Normal Expulsive will be found to have a range 
through Low, Middle, and High Degrees. It follows, then, 
that ordinary conversation, didactic thought, and gladness, the 
styles appropriately read in Expulsive Normal, will find 
correct expression only in those Degrees. This combina- 
tion of the ordinary or usual Form and Quality naturally 
ranges in ordinary or most usual Degrees of Pitch ; it 
neither reaches the highest nor the lowest Degrees. 

The Normal Explosive — the appropriate combination 
for the utterance of gaiety, joy, laughter, and earnestness — 
is limited in expression to the Middle, High, and Very 
High Degrees of the scale. This is the only combination 
which reaches the highest limit of Very High Pitch. The 
intensity of the Explosive, it will be observed, does not run 
into the Low or Very Low at all. 

The Orotund Effusive, as we have seen, is used to 
express reverence, subli?nity, and dezvtion ; when applied to 
the scale of Pitch it is found that this combination of Form 
and Quality will range over three full Degrees, the Middle, 
Low, and Very Low; and it must follow that the sentiments 
just referred to find their expression in these same Degrees. 

The Orotund Expulsive, appropriately applied to the 
utterance of grandeur, patriotism, and oratorical thought, 



I96 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

ranges through a part of the Low Degree, all of Middle and 
High, and a part of Very High. 

And in like manner the Orotund Explosive, heard in the 
expression of courage, defiance, and alarm, finds its range in 
Pitch in the Middie, High, and Very High Degrees. 

S6 we might reason with regard to each of the other 
Forms and Qualities, but what has been given will be 
sufficient to guide the pupil aright in his study of Degrees 
of Pitch. 

The Degree of Pitch used will vary somewhat with the 
size of the audience. It is the natural tendency to elevate 
the Pitch in order that the voice may reach a greater 
distance. This is sometimes necessary for the greatest ease, 
but much care should be exercised not to allow the voice to 
reach a Pitch so high as to degenerate into a screech. 

III. Illustrative Selections. 

I. The Middle Degree predominates in the following 
passages : — 

From LADY CLARE. 

She clad herself in a russet gown, 

She was no longer Lady Clare : 
She went by dale, and she went by down, 

With a single rose in her hair. 

The lily-white doe Lord Ronald had brought, 

Leapt up from where she lay, 
Dropt her head in the maiden's hand, 

And follow'd her all the way. 



Tennyson. 



From A LEGEND OF THE RED ROSE. 

Cooler grew the shades of even, 
Fiercer waged the conflict now, 

Till at last the Peace of Heaven 
Fell upon the beaded Brow. 



DEGREE OF PITCH. 1 97 

And the precious benediction 

Of Purity and Love that bled 
Fell upon the weeping roses — 

Clothed them all in deepest red. 

Olive E. F. Tiffany. 

From MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Act III, Scene i. 

Ursula. But are you sure 

That Benedick loves Beatrice so entirely ? 

Hero. So says the Prince and my new-trothed lord. 

Urs. And did they bid you tell her of it, madam ? 

Hero. They did entreat me to acquaint her of it ; 
But I persuaded them, if they loved Benedick, 
To wish him wrestle with affection, 
And never to let Beatrice know of it. 

Shakespeare. 

From THE MINUTE MAN. 

The Minute Man of J&t Revolution ! And who was he ? He 

was the husband and father, who left the plough in the furrow, 
the hammer^-on the bench, and, kissing his wife and children, 
marched to Hut or to be c frefe ! He was the old, the middle-aged, 
the young. He was Captain Miles, of Acton, who reproved his 
men for jesting on the march! He was Deacon Josiah Haines, of 
Sudbury, eighty years old, who marched with his company to South 
Bridge, at Concord, then joined in that hot pursuit to Lexington, 
and fell as gloriously as Warren at Bunker Hill. He was James 
Hayward, of Acton, twenty-two years old, foremost in that deadly 
race from Charlestown to Concord, who raised his piece at the 
same moment with a British soldier, each exclaiming " You are 
a dead man ! " The Briton dropped, shot through the heart. 
Hayward fell, mortally wounded. "Father" said he, "I started 
with forty balls ; I have three left. I never did such a day's work 
before. Tell mother not to mourn too much ; and tell her whom 
I love more than my mother that I am not sorry I turned out." — 
Ctirtiss. 



I98 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

2. Low Degree predominates in the following extracts: — 

From A LOST CHORD. 

Seated one day at the organ, 

I was weary and ill at ease, 
And my fingers wander'd idly 

Over the noisy keys. 

I do not know what I was playing, 

Or what I was dreaming then, 
But I struck one chord of music, 

Like the sound of a great Amen. 

Adelaide Procter. 

From JULIUS C^SAR. Act II, Scene 1. 

It must oe by his death: and, for my part, 

I know no personal cause to spurn at him, 

But for the general. He would be crowned : 

How that might change his nature, there's the question : 

It is the bright day that brings forth the adder; 

And that craves wary walking. Crown him ? — that : 

And then, I grant, we put a sting in him, 

That at his will he may do danger with. 

Shakespeare. 

From PSALM LXXXV111. Verses 1-3. 

O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried day and night before 
thee. 

Let my prayer come before thee : incline thine ear unto my cry; 

For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draweth nigh unto 
the grave. 

3. Very Low Degree. The underscored parts of the fol- 
lowing illustrations may take the lowest notes of the com- 
pass : — 

From MACBETH. Act V, Scene 5. 

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, 
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day, 



DEGREE OF PITCH. 1 99 

To the last syllable of recorded time ; 
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools 
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle ! 
Life's but a walking shadow: a poor player, 
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage, 
And then is heard no more : it is a tale 
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, 
Signifying nothing. 

Shakespeare. 

From JULIUS OESAR. Act IV, Scene 3. 
BruttlS. HOW ill this tapir burns! [Enter Ghost of Ca>sar.~\ Ha! 

who comes here ? 
I think it is the weakness of mine eyes 
That shapes this monstrous apparition. 
It comes upon me. — Art thou anything ? 
Art thou some god, some angel, or some devil, 
That makes my blood cold, and my hair to stare ? 
Speak to me what thou art 

Ghost. Thy evil spirit, Brutus. 

Bru. Why comest thou ? 

Ghost. To tell thee thou shalt see me at Philippi. 

Bru. Well ; then I shall see thee again ? 

Ghost. Ay, at Philippi. 

Bru. Why, I will see thee at Philippi, then. 

[Ghost vanishes.] 

Now I have taken heart thou vanishest : 
111 spirit, I would hold more talk with thee. 

Shakespeare. 

From CATO'S SOLILOQUY. 

It must be so, — Plato, thou reason'st well ! — 
Else, whence this pleasing hope\ this fond desire, 
This longing after immortality ? 



200 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Or whence this secret dread and inward horror 
Of falling into nought? Why shrinks the soul 
Back on herself, and startles at destruction ? — 
'Tis the Divinity that stirs within us ; 



'Tis Heaven itself that points out an Hereafter, 

And intimates Eternity to man. 

Eternity ! — thou pleasing, dreadful thought ! 
_._^ 

Through what variety of untried being, 
Through what new scenes and changes must we pass ! 
The wide, th' unbounded prospect lies before me ; 
But shadows, clouds and darkness rest upon it. 

Addison. 
4. The High Degree of Pitch predominates in the follow- 
ing passages : 

From PAUL REVERE'S RIDE. 

And, lo ! as he looks, on the belfry's height, 
A glimmer, and then a gleam of light ! 
He springs to the saddle, the bridle he turns, 
But lingers and gazes, till full on his sight 
A second lamp in the belfry burns ! 

A hurry of hoofs in a village-street, 
A shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark, 
And beneath from the pebbles, in passing, a spark 
Struck out by a steed that flies fearless and fleet. 

Longfellow. 
From JULIUS G£SAR. Act IV, Scene 3. 

Brutus. I did send 

To you for gold to pay my legions, 
Which you denied me. Was that done like Cassius? 
Should I have answered Caius Cassius so ? 
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous, 
To lock such rascal counters from his friends, 
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts, 
Dash him to pieces ! 



DEGREE OF PITCH. 201 

Cassius. I denied you not. 

Br u. You did. 

Cass. I did not : he was but a fool that brought 

My answer back. 

Shakespeare. 

From THE NEW YEAR. 

Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, 
The flying cloud, the frosty light ; 
The year is dying in the night ; 

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. 

Ring out the old, ring in the new ; 

Ring, happy bells, across the snow ; 

The year is going ; let him go ; 
Ring out the false ; ring in the true. 

Ring out the grief, that saps the mind, 
For those that here we see no more ; 
Ring out the feud of rich and poor ; 

Ring in redress to all mankind. 

Tennyson. 

5. Very High Degree. The underscored parts may be 
read with the highest notes in the compass. 

From KING JOHN. Act II, Scene 1. 

Rejoice, you men of Angiers, ring your bells ; 
King John, your king and England's, doth approach. 

Open your gates, and give the victors way. 

Shakespeare. 

From HORATTUS AT THE BRIDGE. 

But meanwhile axe and lever 

Have manfully been plied, 
And now the bridge hangs tottering 

Above the boiling tide. 



202 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

" Come back, come back, Horatius ! 

Loud cried the Fathers all ; 
" Back, Lartius ! back, Herminius ! 



Back, ere the ruin fall ! " 



Macaulay. 



From MACBETH. Act II, Scene i. 

Awake, awake ! — 
Ring the alarum-bell. — Murder and treason ! — 
Banquo and Malcolm ! Donalbain ! awake ! 
Shake off this downy sleep, death's counterfeit, 
And look on death itself ! up, up, and see 
The great doom's image ! Malcolm ! Banquo ! all ! 
As from your graves rise up, and walk like sprites, 



To countenance this horror. 



[A larum-bell rings. 

Shakespeare. 



IV. Vocal Culture in Degrees of Pitch. 

i. Sound a, e, I, and o separately, in alternate slides 
through the interval of each particular Degree ; then in 
alternate slides through the entire compass of voice, as 
shown in the accompanying figure. 



Degrees. 



Very High c 


: ^ 


A 


High 


^ 


\ 


"S Middle 


^ 




Low 


^,3 


/ 


Very Low 


>J" J \ 


J \ 



In order that this may be done most easily and successfully, the 
student is advised to begin with the Middle, then follow with the 
Low, Very Low, High, and Very High respectively. 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 203 

One may find his Middle Degree of Pitch by asking aloud in an 
unimpassioned way this question, " Did I say yes or no? " Then 
omitting " Did I say " let him with the same inflections, substitute 
the sound of a for each of the words " yes " and " no " retaining 
the conjunction " or." Having found his Middle Degree it will be 
easy to make comparison with those above and below. 

2. Sound a, e, a, and in notes of song throughout the 
compass. Let there be a gentle swell of the voice on each 
tone. 

3. Using a musical instrument as a guide to exactness, 
speak the sounds a, e, I, and and selected words on every 
tone "from the lowest note to the top of the compass." 
Let each musical tone be used simply as a point of open- 
ing for the speech-note. 

4. Sound the syllables la, sea, da, and ba in notes of 
song in the three Forms, through the entire range of Pitch. 

5. Give a, e, i, 0, u, oi, and ou in all Degrees of Pitch 
without any change of Force. 

6. Give sounds and words in Low, Middle, and High 
Degrees, through all the limitations in Form and Quality as 
shown in the Diagram (p. 194). 

7. Sing an octave in the Normal, in the Orotund, and in 
the Falsetto Qualities. 

8. Comparison of Force and Pitch. Sound 6 twice : 

(1) Increasing Force and elevating Pitch. 

(2) Increasing Force without elevating Pitch. 

(3) Elevating Pitch without increasing Force. 

(4) Decreasing Force without lowering Pitch. 

(5) Lowering Pitch without decreasing Force. 

(6) Decreasing Force and lowering Pitch. 



SECTION II. — CHANGE OF PITCH. 

Change of Pitch is the transition of the voice from one 
point of Pitch to another. This is a necessary element 



204 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

of effective discourse, for the ear demands variety. It is 
contrary to the laws of Nature that any part of the sensitive 
organism of hearing should be played upon incessantly. 
The ear tires, becomes calloused, and finally shuts itself 
against disagreeable impressions. 

On the other hand, a speaker with even an indifferent 
discourse will so charm the ear with pleasing variations of 
a good voice that, as Beecher puts it, " Men listen quite 
unaware that they have been bewitched out of their weari- 
ness by the charms of a voice not artificial, but made by 
assiduous training to be his second nature." If, then, 
attention must be held in order that the speaker may 
instruct or persuade, and if variety of tone is a means to 
this end, we must conclude that Change is a constituent 
element of reading aloud, and oratory. This does not 
imply that variety should be given for its own sake regard- 
less of the sentiment expressed. The slightest change in 
sentiment has its corresponding change of Pitch. The voice 
becomes capable, by development, of making these Changes, 
and then the attuned instrument easily responds to the 
touches of feeling. The voice is the instrument, and the 
sensibilities are the unseen fingers that sweep the keys. 

Change of Pitch is the most productive means of dis- 
criminative reading. The most delicate shades of thought 
are made at once apparent by Inflection. It is, then, a 
most important means of Emphasis, for an idea may have 
attention called to it by an unusual skip or slide upon the 
principal word. This highly discriminative character of 
Change leads us without hesitation to place it as the most 
distinctly Mental of the divisions of Pitch. 

Changes of Pitch, therefore, 

(i) Aid the speaker in holding attention* 

(2) Are necessary in expressing different states of the mi?id, 

(3) Preclude the possibility of offendi?ig the ear with a too 
frequent recurrence of the same succession of tone, and 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 2G"5 

(4) Are a productive means of Emphasis. 
There are two Changes or methods of transition in Pitch: 
Concrete, and Discrete. 



I. Concrete. 

Concrete (con-cresco to grow together) is the slide of the 
voice from one point of Pitch to another. As the word 
indicates, it is a growing together of the tones between the 
points of opening and close of the speech-note, so that there 
is no appreciable time spent upon any intermediate tone. 
It is simply a stroke through Pitch vertically. The term 
Concrete is synonomous with inflection, slide, and glide. 

The predominance of the sliding tone is the distinguish- 
ing feature of speech. Every syllable must have a slide. 
Good reading or speaking contains ever varying slides. 
Speech is a concrete solo in which the speaker, at once cre- 
ates and delivers his own melody. When we listen to the 
variations of a well modulated voice, we hear the tones of 
the musical scale blend or glide, as it were, one into 
another, just as the notes of a violin blend when the 
" stop-finger " is drawn along a vibrating string. The 
power to rise and fall at will, and with ease, through great 
intervals, is a matter of great importance to the speaker, as 
is also the power to distinguish the length of inflection. 

Every Concrete consists of two parts ; the radical, and 
the vanish. The radical is the root or begin- 
ning of the tone, the vanish is the diminution 
or close of the sound. Dr. Rush illustrates 
the speech-note, thus : a being the radical, 
and b the vanish of the Concrete. We will employ this 
character in Melody to indicate the direction and relative 
position of speech-notes on the scale. 

There are two considerations to be borne in mind in the 
application of inflection or Concrete : (1) The logical 




206 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

meaning ; and (2) The character of the emotion, if there 
be any. The direction of inflection is to be determined by the 
former, the length by the latter. The motive, and not the form 
of the clause or se?itence, must determine the inflection ; and in 
reading, the eye must be kept well ahead of the utterance 
in order to determine the logical meaning. 

There are three classes of Concrete : the Rising, the 
Falling, and the Waving. 

1 . The Rising Concrete. 

The Rising Concrete is a slide of the voice from one 
point of the compass to some point higher. It is a move- 
ment from gravity to acuteness. 

As a matter of economy and for the sake of grace and 
energy, strong words, used interrogatively, should begin lower 
in Pitch tha?i the general current in order that the voice may 
have ample room to slide upward, thus : — 

Shall I be -A* when a ^ A 

i » ** 



Must I & and & under your testy 



(1) Law of Use. 

Based upon the observations and discoveries of Dr. Rush 
which have been confirmed by more recent scientific investi- 
gations in the realm of expression, this general principle 
may be laid down for the use of the Rising Concrete : 
Things doubtful, anticipative, conditional, incomplete, and 
subordinate take the Rising. * 

(2) Illustrative Cases. 

The following may be laid down as the leading cases: 

Case i. Direct Questions, that is, such as may be 
answered by "yes" or "no," take the Rising Concrete. 






CHANGE OF PITCH. 207 



From JULIUS OffiSAR. Act II, Scene 1. 

Lucius. Sir, 'tis your brother Cassius at the door, 

Who doth desire to see you. 

/ 
Brutus. Is he alone? 

Lucius. No, sir, there are more with him. 

/ 
Brutus. Do you know them ? 

Shakespeare. 



(1) Direct questions, luhcn repeated for information, usually 
take the Falling. 

/ / 

a. " Have you that book I gave you ? 

v \ 

b. " Have you that book I gave you ? " 

This latter is equivalent to saying, " Pardon me for asking 
v 
if you have that book I gave you." The doubt implied in 

the direct question by the Rising Inflection is resolved by 

an answer which completes the Melody, and brings the 

mind to a state of repose. 

(2) Some declarative sentences become direct interroga- 
tives by inflection : 

/ 
" You are to be there ? (are you not ?) " 

/ 
"(Do) You mean that I shall go? " 

/ 
" You will stay and sup with us to-night ! (will you ?) " 

(3) Interrogative syllables vary in length and frequency 
with the degree of feeling placed upon the sentence. 

a. By Thorough Interrogation is meant that the chief 
syllables of direct questions are uttered with wide inter- 
rogative intervals, e. g. : 



208 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

/ / / / / 

" Threat you me with telling of the king ? " — Shak. 

// / ///// 

" I ? yonder, with polished Greeks, caged in dark walls ? I, the 

/ / / 

barbarian, the free man?" — Frederick Halm. 

b. By Partial Interrogation is meant that only a part of 
the chief words of a sentence are given with wide inter- 
rogative intervals, e.g.: 



From MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Act I, Scene i. 
/ 

Claudio. Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of Signior 

Leonato ? 



/ 

Clan. Is she not a modest young lady ? 



/ / 

Ben. Would you buy her that you inquire after her? 

/ . / 

Clau. Can the world buy such a jewel ? — Shakespeare. 

Case 2. Doubt, indecision, and hesitation require the 
Rising Concrete. 



From INGOMAR. Act I, Scene i. 

Nothing replaces Kallinike to me : 
She was a true heart, — she could work, could save ! 
But then the armourer's daughter, — could she ? 
Ah, she is there herself ! she's young, she's pretty : 

So - yes - no - well, so be it. Frederick Halm. 

/ 

" I think he is honest." — Shakespeare. 



From THE MERCHANT OF VENICE. Act I, Scene 3. 
/ 

Shy lock. Antonio is a good man. 

Bassanio. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary ? 

/ / / / / 
Shylock. Ho ! no, no, no, no ! Shakespeare. 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 2CX) 

Case 3. Anticipate ve, suspensive, and incomplete ideas 
call for the Rising Concrete. 

But whatever may be our fate, be assured, be assured, this 
declaration will stand. — Webster. 

Especially desirous of being accounted the best swordsman 

/ 
and the most fearless gladiator of Rome, he still better enjoyed 

the reputation of being the incomparable archer. — Maurice 

Thompson. 

Case 4. Conditional or introductory clauses take the 
Rising. 

(1) Conditional: 

/ 
When I spoke that, I was ill-tempered too. — Shakespeare. 

/ 
If this be true, then should I know this secret. — Ibid. 



(2) Introductory: 

/ 
The result was, that all the seats were filled with people eager 

to witness some harrowing scene of death. — Maurice Thompson. 

/ 
Little time remained for such reflections, as might have arisen, 

for immediately a large cage, containing two fiery-eyed and fam- 
ished tigers, was brought into the circus and placed before the 
victims. — Ibid. 



Case 5. Words or clauses to which subordinate or re- 
strictive clauses are attached, take the Rising. 

/ 

Thus the holy virtue which is contained in the writings of St. 
/ 
Paul, even in the simplicity of his style, preserves all the vigor it 

/ 
brings from the Heavens whence it has descended. — Bossuet. 



2IO PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

/ / 

And yet I will say that that man, at the time of his inflicting 

/ 
the death-wound of that Parliament, produced at once the shortest 
/ / 

and the grandest funeral oration that ever was or could be made 

on the departure of a great Court of Magistracy. — Burke. 

/ 

Go bid thy mistress, when my drink is ready, 

She strike upon the bell. — Shakespeare. 

Case 6. Deference, courtesy, concession, conciliation, 
extreme modesty, and shame require the Rising. 



From VrUGmnTJS. Act II, Scene 2. 

Virginius. I did design to feast you 
Together with your friends. The times are changed ; 
The march, the tent, the fight becomes us now ! 

Icillius. Virginius ! 

Vir. Well ? 

Icil. Virginius ! 

Vir. How the boy 

Reiterates my name ! 

Icil. There's not a hope 

/ 
I have, but is the client of Virginius. 

/ / / 

Vir. Well, well ! I only meant to put it off : 

We'll have the revel yet ; the board shall smoke ; 
The cup shall sparkle ; and the jest shall soar 
And mock us from the roof. 

Sheridan Knowles. 

From JULIUS C.3SSAR. Act III, Scene 2. 

Antony. Here, under leave of Brutus and the rest, — 

/ 
For Brutus is an honorable man, 

/ 
So are they all, all honorable men, — 

Come I to speak in Caesar's funeral. 

Shakespeare. 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 2 1 I 

From JULIUS C-ffiSAR. Act II, Scene i. 

/ 
I grant I am a woman ; but 1 

A woman that Lord Brutus took to wife. 



/ 
Portia. I erant I am a woman ; but withal 



Shakespeare* 

/ 
irn, but thou * 

And that will make all easy. 



/ / 

I know I have much to learn, but thou wilt teach me, 



II aim. 



From LADY CLARE. 

" Falsely, falsely, have you done, 
O mother," she said, "if this be true; — 
To keep the best man under the Sun, 
So many years from his due." 

/ / 

" Nay, now, my child," said Alice the nurse, 

" But keep the secret for your life, 

/ 
And all you have will be Lord Ronald's, 

/ 
When you are man and wife." 

Tennyso?i. 

Case 7. Supplication, pathetic appeal, begging, and 
fawning require the Rising. 



From JULIUS CJESAR. Act III, Scene 1. 

/ 
Antony. Bear with me ; 

My heart is in the coffin there with Caesar, 

/ 
And I must pause till it come back to me. 

Shakespeare. 



From UNCLE DAN'L'S APPARITION. 

O Lord, we 's been mightv wicked, an' we knows dat we 'zerve 
/ 
to go to de bad place, but good Lord, deah Lord, we ain't ready 



212 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

/ / / 

yit, we ain't ready, — let dese po' chil'en hab one mo' chance, jes' 

/ / 

one mo' chance. Take de ole niggah if you's got to hab somebody. 

Good Lord, good deah Lord, we don't know whah you's a-gwine 
/ / 

to, we don't know who you's got yo' eye on, but we knows by de 

/ 
way you's a-comin', we knows by de way you's a-tiltin' along in yo' 

/ / 

charyot o' fiah, dat some po' sinner's a-gwine to ketch it. — Mark 

Twain. 



From KING JOHN. Act IV, Scene i. 

Arthur. Nay, hear me, Hubert ! drive these men away, 

And I will sit as quiet as a lamb; 

I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word, 

/ 
Nor look upon the iron angrily : 

/ 
Thrust but these men away, and I '11 forgive you 

/ 
Whatever torment you do put me to. 



Shakespeare. 



From CONNOR. 

/ 
The wan's me wife, the other me child. O Masther, just thry 

me. How '11 I bring 'em over to me, if no one will give me a 

/ 
job ? I want to be aiming, and the whole big city seems against 

/ 
it, and me with arms like them. — Anon. 

/ 
" Give me some bread." — A Tramp. 

Case 8. Members of a series (except the last) when 
taken as a whole and when not emphatic require the 
Rising. 

/ / / 

Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything. — Shakespeare. 

/ / 

And now abideth faith, hope, love. — I Cor. xii : 13. 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 21 3 

/ / / / 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, 
/ / / / 

gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance ; against such 

there is no law. — Galatians v : 22, 23. 

Case 9. Negatives, unless the assertive feature domi- 
nates, require the Rising. 

I wonder that you will still be talking, Senior Benedick, nobody 
/ 
marks you. — Shakespeare. 

/ 
I come not here armed at all points with law cases and Acts of 
/ / 

Parliament, with the statute-book doubled down in dog's ears, to 

/ 
defend the cause of liberty. I would not debate a point of law 

/ 
with the gentleman ! I know his abilities. — Chatham. 

/ / 

I know not what may fall ; I like it not. — Shakespeare. 

/ 
'Twere best he speak no harm of Brutus here. — Ibid. 

/ 
I care not how fickle other people have been found. — Webster. 

Case 10. Surprise, astonishment, retorted questions 
(especially when the speaker desires further informa- 
tion) , require the Rising. 



From MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. Act IV, Scene 1. 

Beatrice. I love you with so much of my heart, that none is 

left to protest. 

Benedick. Come, bid me do anything for thee. 

Beat. Kill Claudio. 

/ 
Bene. Ha ! not for the wide world. — Shakespeare. 



From LAST DAYS OF POMPEII. 

" Kind Sosia, chide me not — I cannot endure to be so long 
alone," said Nydia ; " the solitude appals me. Sosia, how much 



214 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

dost thou require to make up thy freedom ? " " How much ? " said 
he. "Why, about 2000 sesterces." "The Gods be praised ! not 
more? Seest thou these bracelets and this chain? they are worth 
double that sum. I will give them thee if thou wilt let me out 
only for one little hour." 

" Let thee out ! No," said Sosia, " a slave once disobeying 
Arbaces is never heard of more ! " — Bulwer Lytton. 

From HENRY IV. Part 1, Act II, Scene 4. 

Falstaff. A plague of all cowards ! still, say I. 

Prince Hal. What's the matter ? 

/ / 

Pal. What's the matter ! There be four of us here, have 

ta'en a thousand pound this day morning. 

Shakespeare. 

Case ii. Vocatives, or Appelatory phrases or clauses, 
if closely followed by the thought anticipated, require 
the Rising. 

/ 

Fellow Citizens: It is no ordinary cause that has brought to- 
gether this vast assemblage. — Prentiss. 

/ 

Sir, I know the uncertainty of human affairs, but I see, I see 

clearly, through this day's business. — Webster. 

/ 

My Lord, I came to see your father's funeral. — Shakespeare. 

/ / 

O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth. 

— Psalms. 

(1) Vocatives whe?i repeated for the understanding or for 

Emphasis usually take the Falling. First call, "John;" 

second call, "John." 

The Rising Concrete occurs so much more frequently 
throughout discourse than the Falling or the Waving that 
it may be said to be the rule. 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 21 5 

Emphasis must always be taken into account in the de- 
livery of the foregoing illustrations. On this account, in 
many cases, good readers and speakers may change from 
the readings indicated. 

2. The Falling Concrete. 

The Falling Concrete is a slide of the voice from one 
point of Pitch to some point lower. It is a movement from 
acuteness to gravity. 

For the sake of energy, and economy of Pitch, strong 
syllables that require the Falling Concrete are struck higher 
than the ordinary syllable in order that the voice may have room 
to make an easy descent, thus : — 



He % him in the "%* for his es ^ 



// is a "3^ and an "^ air. 



►to. **» 

// is a liberty I mean to ~\ 



(i) Law of Use. 

In harmony with and corresponding to the law of use 
governing the Rising Concrete we have the following 
general law : The Falling Concrete is used to express de- 
cisiveness, positiveness, conclusiveness, and completion 
of sense. 

(2) Illustrative Cases. 
The following are the leading cases : 

Case i. Indirect, assertive, and exclamatory questions 
require the Falling. 



2l6 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(i) Indirect questions are such as require an explanatory 

answer. They are usually introduced by the interrogatives, 

who, which, what, how, when, &c. The interrogative slide 

is usually heard on the introductory word : 

x 
What is your tidings ? — Shakespeare. 

x x 

Who was it that thus cried? — Ibid. 

X XX 

Why did you bring these daggers from the place? — Ibid. 

(2) Assertive questions : 

From MACBETH. Act I, Scene 7. 
Macbeth. Hath he asked for me? 
Lady Macbeth. Know you not he has ? 

What cannot you and I perform upon 

X 

Th' unguarded Duncan ? 

Shakespeare. 
x x 

You take pleasure, then, in the message? — Shakespeare. 

In assertive questions, the interrogation is partial only. 

(3) Exclamatory questions are questions of triumphant 
appeal : 

From YOUTfG LOCHIWVAR. 

" So daring in love, and so dauntless in war; 

X X . 

Have you e'er heard of gallant like young Lochinvar ? " 

Scott. 



From IWGOMAR. Act I, Scene 1. 

Parthenia. Thou art angry ! 

X X 

Actea. Away ! have I not cause enough for anger ? 

Halm. 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 2\J 

V 
Is not that so, gentlemen? 

N V V 

Are not you, Sir, who sit in that chair, is not he, our venerable 

V N V \ 

colleague near you, are you not both already the proscribed and 

V V V 

predestined objects of punishment and of vengeance? — Webster. 

It is interesting to note in this connection that all nega- 
tive questions expect an affirmative answer, and vice versa. 
Questions of triumphant appeal expect no open answer, 
simply mental assent or dissent, as the case may be. They 
need no answer. The utterance by taking the Falling slide, 

contains the answer. It is equivalent to saying, " Is not 

/ v 

that so ? " "Yes." The "yes" becomes superfluous when 

the speaker feels that the mind of the hearer is in sympathy 

with his own. It is at such times only that the exclamatory 

appeal is effective. 

Case 2. Decision, affirmation, assertion, determination, 
require the Falling. 



From MACBETH. Act I, Scene 



V 

Macbeth. I'm settled, and bend up 

N N 

Each corporal agent to this terrible feat. 

V V 

Away, and mock the time with fairest show : 

V V 

False face must hide what the false heart doth know. 



Shakespeare. 



From McLADTS CHILD. 



But here I swear with living breath 
That for this wrong which you have done, 

I'll reek my vengeance on your son, — 
NX N 

On him, and you, and all your race ! 

Mackay. 



2l8 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



From TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE. 

X 

Cromwell manufactured his own army. Napoleon, at the age of 

twenty-seven, was placed at the head of the best troops Europe 

v \ 

ever saw. Cromwell never saw an army till he was forty ; this 

X X 

man never saw a soldier till he was fifty. — Phillips. 



From SUPPOSED SPEECH OF JOHN ADAMS. 

X X 

The war, then, must go on. We must fight it through. And if 

X 
the war must go on, why put off longer the Declaration of Inde- 

X X 

pendence? That measure will strengthen us. It will give us 

X X 

character abroad. — Webster. 



Case. 3. Conclusion of the sentence when the thought 
is complete requires the Falling. 

From THE HUNCHBACK. Act I, Scene 2. 

Julia. This rural life of mine, 

Enjoined upon me by an unknown father's will, 

x 
I've led from infancy. Debarred from hope 

x 
Of change, I ne'er have sighed for change. The town 

To me was like the Moon, for any thought 

I e'er should visit it ; nor was I schooled 

x 
To think it half so fair ! Sherida?i Knowles. 

From LAST DAYS OF POMPEII. 

The cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the 

x 
day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass. It 

resembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open 

air than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room. But, 

in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightenings around 






CHANGE OF PITCH. 2IQ 

Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare. Nor was their 
horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire ; no rainbow 
ever rivaled their varying and prodigal dyes. — Bulwer-Lytton. 

Case 4. When two or more co-ordinate clauses occur 
in a sentence each representing an independent thought, 
their temporary completeness may be indicated by the 
Falling Concrete. 

Care should be taken not to allow the slide to extend as 
low as the key note — the line of repose — in any clause but 
the last. 

From TOUSSAINT L'OUVERTURE. 

V 
You think me a fanatic, for you read history, not with your eyes 
V 
but with your prejudices. But fifty years hence, when Truth gets 

V 
a hearing, the Muse of history will put Phocion for the Greek, 

N N X 

Brutus for the Roman, Hampden for England, Fayette for France, 

choose Washington as the bright, consummate flower of our earlier 

V 

civilization, then, dipping her pen in the sunlight, will write in the 

clear blue, above them all, the name of the soldier, the statesman, 
the martyr, Toussaint L'Ouverture. — Phillips. 



From CLAUDIUS AND CYNTHIA. 

V 
The youth, erect and powerful, set his thin lips firmly and kept 

\ 
his eyes looking straight out before him. Many knew him as a 

\ \ 

trained athlete and especially as an almost unerring archer. — 



Maurice Thompson. 



From JULIUS C-ffiSAR. Act II, Scene i. 
Decius. Never fear that : if he be so resolved, 

N 

I can o'ersway him ; for he loves to hear 



220 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

That unicorns may be betrayed with trees, 

v \ 

And bears with glasses, elephants with holes, 

X N 

Lions with toils, and men with flatterers. ^ 

Case 5. The members of an emphatic series or Climax 
require the Falling. 

As in Case 4, do not allow the slides to reach the line of 
Cadence until the last member of the series is reached. 



From JULIUS C-ffiSAR. 1 Act I, Scene i. 

Marullus. Wherefore rejoice ? What conquest brings he home? 
What tributaries follow him to Rome, 
To grace in captive bonds his chariot-wheels ? 

N V V 

You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things ! 

O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, 

Knew you not Pompey? Many a time and oft 

\ V 

Have you climbed up to walls and battlements, 

V V V 

To towers and windows, yea, to chimney-tops, 

v 
Your infants in your arms, and there have sat 

V V 

The live-long day, with patient expectation, 

To see great Pompey pass the streets of Rome. 

Shakespeare. 



From HAMLET. Act II, Scene 2. 
Hamlet. What a piece of work is man ! how noble in reason ! 

how infinite in faculties ! in form and moving how express and 
V V 

admirable ! in action how like an angel ! in apprehension how like 
v 

a god 1 — Shakespeare. 

1 The student is here referred to this same selection as it is used to illustrate 
Climactic Emphasis (p. 78)- 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 22 1 

Case 6. Exclamatory and imperative sentences require 
the Falling Concrete. 

(i) Exclamatory Sentences: 

X XX 

O, what a rogue and peasant slave am I ! — Shakespeare. 

X X x 

Avaunt ! and quit my sight ! let the earth hide thee ! — Ibid. 

X 

O, she misused me past the endurance of a block ! — Ibid. 

(2) hnperatives : 



From JULIUS CJESAR. Act I, Scene i. 

V 

Marullus. Begone ! 

V V 

Run to your houses, fall upon your knees, 

x 
Pray to the gods to intermit the plague 

V 
That needs must light on this ingratitude. 



Shakespeare. 



From VIRGINrUS. Act II, Scene 2. 

X X X 

Virginius. Your sword and buckler, boy ! The foe, the foe ! 

x 
Does he not tread on Roman ground? Come on, 

XX XX 

Come on ! charge on him, drive him back, or die ! 

Sheridan Knowles. 



From VIRGINIUS. Act IV, Scene 2. 

X 

Appius. Keep the people back : — 

x x 

Support my Lictors, soldiers ! — Seize the girl, 

And drive the people back. 

x x 

Icihus. Down with the slaves ! 

Ibid. 



222 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

V 

Forward the light brigade ! 

x 
Charge for the guns ! 

Tennyson. 

Case 7. Anger, scorn, contempt, and other harsh and 
repulsive sentiments require the Falling Concrete. 



From KING JOHN. Act III, Scene i. 

V V X 

Constance. Thou slave, thou wretch, thou coward ! 
x x 

Thou little valiant, great in villainy ! 
V 
What a fool wert thou, 

X XXV X 

A ramping fool, to brag, and stamp, and swear, upon my party ! 



Shakespeare. 



From HAMLET. Act III, Scene 4. 

X X 

Hamlet. A murderer and a villain ; 

x x 

A slave that is not twentieth part the tithe 

x x 

Of your precedent lord ; a Vice of kings ; 

X X X 

A cutpurse of the empire and the rule, 

x 
That from a shelf the precious diadem stole, 

x 
And put it in his pocket ! 

Shakespeare. 



From THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL. Act III, Scene 1. 
X X 

Sir Peter Teazle. There ! now you want to quarrel again. 

x 
Lady Teazle. No, I am sure I don't ; but if you will be so 

peevish 

x x 

Sir P. There now ! who begins first ? 

x x 

Lady T. Why, you. to be sure. I said nothing ; but there's no 

X X 

bearing your temper. 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 223 

V N N 

Sir P. No, no, madam ; the fault's in your own temper. 

V 
Lady T. Ay, you are just what my cousin Sophy said you 

would be. 

v 
Sir P. Your cousin Sophy is a forward, impertinent gipsy. 

\ V N 

Lady T. You are a great bear, I am sure, to abuse my 
\ 
relations. 

v 
Sir P. Now, may all the plagues of marriage be doubled on 

V N 

me, if ever I try to be friends with you any more. 

Richard Brinsley Sheridan. 

The Falling Concrete awakens attention by the importance 
it attaches to words, and, as a change from the more common 
Rising, rests the ear and the mind of the audience. Those 
who use the Rising Concrete to excess lose the effects of 
strong Emphasis and Cadence. It is not uncommon for an 
English or Irish speaker to utter paragraph after paragraph 
in which no Falling Concrete or Cadence can be heard. 
Oscar Wilde, for example, in his lecture on poetry, which he 
delivered throughout the United States, spoke an hour and 
twenty minutes without a single distinct Falling slide or 
Cadence. English and American habits differ in this regard 
very considerably. The utterances of the English abound 
in deferential, patronizing, Rising inflections, while those of 
the American, under the same circumstances, contain a 
greater number of positive and decisive inflections. It must 
be admitted, however, that a too frequent use of the Falling 
Concrete gives to one's style an unsympathetic, dogmatic 
character. 

3. Reciprocal Use of Rising and Falling Concretes. 

The Rising and Falling are often used reciprocally in 
expression. At such times the one is a necessary comple- 
ment of the other. Expression would be incomplete without 
such variety. The following are the leading cases : 



224 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(i) Illustrative Cases. 

Case i. In an alternative question, the first part takes 
the Rising, the second the Falling. In case there are 
more than two alternatives, all take the Rising except 
the last. 



From MACBETH. Act II, Scene i. 

Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible 

/ / 

To feeling as to sight ? Or art thou but 

A dagger of the mind, a false creation, 

v 
Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain ? 



Shakespeare. 



/ N 

To be, or not to be. — Shakespeare. 



From OTHELLO. Act I, Scene 3. 

/ / / / 

First Senator. Did you, by indirect and forced courses 
/ / / 

Subdue and poison this young maid's affections ? 

v 
Or came it by request, and such fair question 

As soul to soul aff ordeth ? 

Shakespeare. 

When the ' or ' is used conjunctively, the question be- 
comes a continued one, either direct or i?idirect ; if the 
former, it comes under Case i of the Rising Concrete ; if 
the latter, under Case i of the Falling Concrete. 

Case 2. When the members of a series are arranged 
in groups or sets, the last of each set requires the Falling 
and the others the Rising. 



CHAN(ii: OF PITCH 225 



From EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS, viii : 38, 39- 

/ \ / 

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor 

/ . V / N 

principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 

/ v 

nor height nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to sepa- 
rate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord. 

Case 3. Affirmatives contrasted with negatives take 
opposite inflections unless assertive Emphasis prevails. 



From JULIUS CJESAR. Act II, Scene 1. 

V / 

Brutus. Let us be sacrificers, but not butchers, Caius. 

. . . And, gentle friends, 
V / 

Let's kill him boldly, but not wrathfully; 

N V 

Let's carve him as a dish fit for the gods, 

/ / 

Not hew him as a carcass fit for hounds; 

. . . This shall mark 
\ / 

Our purpose necessary, and not envious; 



Which so appearing to the common eyes, 

v / 

We shall be called purgers, not murderers. 



Shakespeare. 



(1) The same is true when there is an inequality of anti- 
thesis. 

V / 

Better no coat to my back than no wife and boy by my fireside. 

— Anon. 

From JULIUS C^SAR. Act I, Scene 2. 
Cassius. I cannot tell what you and other men 

Think of this life; but, for my single self, 

v. 
I had as lief not be as live to be 

/ 
In awe of such a thing as I myself. 



226 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Brutus. Brutus had rather be a villager 
Than to repute himself a son of Rome 
Under these hard conditions as this time 

Is like to lay upon us. Shakespeare. 

(2) Simple forms of antithesis are shown by means of 
opposite inflections : 



From ORATION ON THE CROWN. 

Contrast now the circumstances of your life and mine, gently 

and with temper, Aeschines, and then ask these people whose 

/ 
fortunes they would each of them prefer. You taught reading, I 

S / N 

went to school ; you performed initiations, I received them ; you 

/ ■ v / 

danced in the chorus, I furnished it ; you were assembly clerk, I 

\ / x / 

was speaker ; you acted third parts, I heard you ; you broke down, 

\ / 

and I hissed ; you have worked as a statesman for the enemy, I 

V 
for my Country. — Demosthenes. 

Case 4. When impersonation is interrupted by narra- 
tive, the principal slides given the narrative should have 
the same direction as that of the last word of the imper- 
sonation immediately preceding the narrative, but they 
should not always be of the same intensity. 

The explanatory parts immediately associated with impersona- 
tion partake of the nature of the feeling of the person having 
just spoken. If the personation is in positive inflections the 
explanation becomes so, out of sympathy with the character ; if 
anticipative the explanatory parts partake of the same nature. 



From SAM WELLER'S VALENTINE. 

/ / / 

" I've done now," said Sam, with slight embarrassment ; " I've 

been a-writin'." " So I see," replied Mr. Weller. " Not to any 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 227 

young 'ooman, I hope, Sammy." " Why, it's no use a-sayin' it 

ain't/' replied Sam. "It's a walentine." " A what ?" exclaimed 

/ / / \ 

Mr. Weller, apparently horror-stricken by the word. " A walen- 

tine," replied Sam. " Samivel, Samivel," said Mr. Weller, in 
reproachful accents, " I didn't think you'd ha' done it." — Dickens. 

(i) This is equally true with some forms of the vocative : 
Thrift, thrift, Horatio ! the funeral baked meats, 



Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables. 

Shakespeare. 

\ v 

What does this mean, my Lord ? 

Shakespeare. 

(2) The interrogative sign does not imply that the inter- 
rogative slide should be carried through the entire sentence. 
In the following questions the declarative feature which 
begins at the end of the first clause should receive the 
Falling inflection : — 

From SUPPOSED SPEECH OF JOHN ADAMS. 

Do we mean to violate that most solemn obligation ever 
/ v 

entered into by men, that plighting, before God, of our sacred 

N 

honor to Washington, when, putting him forth to incur the dangers 

of war, as well as the political hazards of the time, we promised to 

N \ N \ 

adhere to him, in every extremity, with our fortunes and our lives ? 

— Webster. 



From AGAINST THE STAMP ACT. 
/ 

Is this your boasted peace? — to sheathe the sword, not in its 

x 
scabbard, but in the bowels of your countrymen? Will you 

quarrel with yourselves now that the whole House of Bourbon is 

/ v 

united against you? — while France disturbs your fisheries in New- 



228 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

foundland, and withholds from your subjects in Canada their prop- 

X X 

erty stipulated by treaty? — while the ransom for the Manillas is 

\ x 

denied by Spain, and its gallant conquerer basely traduced into a 

v 
mean plunderer, — a gentleman whose noble and generous spirit 

x x 

would do honor to the proudest grandee of the Country? — 

Chatham. 

4. Waving Concrete — The Wave. 

The Wave is a union one or more times repeated of the 
Rising and Falling Concretes. The simple Concretes that 
form the Wave are called its constituents. This movement of 
voice occurs within the limits of a single syllable ; that is, 
it affects only the accented syllables, or such monosyllables 
as may require it, and is not, as is often supposed, pro- 
longed through more than one syllable of a word. The 
Wave - occurs less frequently than either of the other Con- 
cretes. 

(1) Kinds of Waves Defined and Illustrated. 

There are seven Kinds of Waves as indicated by the 
following diagram : as to the number of constituents there 
are Single, Double, and Continued waves ; as to the relative 
length of constituents there are Equal and Unequal waves ; 
as to the direction of the constituents, there are Direct 
and Inverted waves. Each wave has but one radical, i.e. 
one opening, regardless of the number of its bends. 

( Single 
1. Number of Constituents \ Double 

1^ Continued 



Kinds 
Of Waves < 
As To 



f Equal 
2. Relative Length of Constituents \ 

1 Unequal 



3. Direction of Constituents. 



f Direct 
I Inverted 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 



229 



a. A Single Wave has one bend and two constituents, 
i.e. there are two simple Concretes, a Rising and a Falling, 
with but one radical, thus, 



J\°[) A \i 



as heard in the following lines : 



From LADY CLARE. 



n 



" He does not love me for my birth, 
Nor for my lands so broad and fair ; 
He loves me for my own true worth, 
And that is well," said Lady Clare. 




Tennyson. 



u u u 

Well, well, I think so. 



b. A Double Wave has two bends and three constituents. 
There are two Risings and a Falling, or vice versa, thus : 



2 



*^m 



as heard in this passage from the play of " Ingomar : 



Parthenia. Poor father ! 

ru 

Actea. Poor, poor, indeed ! 

Halm. 



" I am the accuser ! " 

ru 

"You." 

Anon. 



230 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



c. A Continued Wave has three or more bends and four 
or more constituents. There are at least four simple Con- 
cretes, two Rising and two Falling, thus : 



M VU 



as heard in the prolonged exclamation of delight, 

" Ah ! I am delighted to see you." 
and such mirthful outbursts as, 

"O, he's returned ; and as pleasant as ever he was." 

Shakespeare. 



d. An Equal Wave is one in which the constituents 
traverse the same intervals of Pitch. The beginning and 
end of the wave are on the same point of the scale, i. e. if 
the voice rises a Second it must fall the same distance to make 
the wave Equal ; if it rises a Third it must fall a Third, and 
so on through all the intervals. 



#4h¥ftftJ 



She's a brave girl ! she rules herself. 



Ah ! and behold, there rolls the sea 



Halm. 



e. An Unequal Wave is one in which the constituents 
traverse different intervals of the scale. The tone does 
not end on the same plane on which it begins. 



CHANG K OF PITCH. 



23 



j'-b - j i - j1 



Thou think'st 
Thyself unequalled, doubtless; lovely, rich. 

Halm. 
You, Prince of Wales. — Shak. 



f A Direct Wave is one in which the last constituent 
falls. 1 



j\ J] v\ 



n 



Right through the lines they broke. — Tennyson. 



rises 



g. An Inverted Wave is one in which the last constituent 

1 



tj nj ju 



ru 

You do not mean now ? 



The illustrations of the last four kinds of Waves will be 
found under 

(2) Law of Use and Illustrations. 

The wave is used : 

First, to show that the meaning of the passage is stronger than 
that which the ordinary utterance of the words would convey ; 
e.g. utter the sentence, " You are a nice fellow," with the 



1 We have departed from Dr. Rush in defining these terms for the reason that 
it is the last and not the first constituent of the Wave that leaves its impress 
upon the ear and consequently has most to do in determining the character of 
expression. 



232 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

simple inflections of ordinary conversation and it becomes a 
plain statement of fact. Utter it with a Direct Equal Wave 
of a Fifth on the word "nice" and admiration is expressed ; 
with a Direct Unequal Wave on the same word and we have 
irony. These are emotions not indicated by the words them- 
selves. 

Second, to extend the time of words without overstepping the in- 
terval appropriate to the sentiment. Let the student utter the 
words " Hail, holy light," in the interval of the Second — the 
appropriate interval for sublimity — with simple inflections, 
as in the first of the following notations ; and then give 
them with (a) single waves of the same interval as in the 
second notation, 



J- J J r. 



Ju ^ni 



Hail, ho - ly light. Hail, ho - ly light. 

and he will find that he has given them additional dignity 
and energy. It will be seen that the time of the syllables 
was doubled but at the same time they were kept within the 
interval of the Second, whereas if the tones had been extended 
two notes beyond the Second, thus, 
we should have had the Fourth, 
(relatively the Fifth) — the ap- 
propriate interval for surprise or 
delight — an interval entirely 



-j 



/ 



\ 



inappropriate to sublimity. Hail, ho - ly light. 

This is a fault too often heard in the reading of sublime 
passages of scripture. 

Waves, when not too frequently used, add dignity and 
strength to discourse; but when employed in profusion they 
give it a puerile air, and, the speaker by attempting to make 
language too emphatic, detracts from his effectiveness. 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 233 

b. The Double Wave is very common and very expressive, 
being heard more frequently, however, in colloquy than in 
oratory. 

c. The Continued Wave " happens," says Dr. Rush, " in 
rare and peculiar cases." 

d. The Equal Wave in general is employed in the utter- 
ance of pleasing emotions, as in admiration, love, delight, 
gallantry, triumph, and sublimity. The following passages 
will illustrate these varieties of Waves : 



From YTRGIOTUS. Act I, Scene 2. 

n n 

You've done it well : the coloring is good ; 
The figure's well designed ; 'tis very well ! 
Whose face is this you've given to Achilles ? 

Sheridan Knowles. 



From CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE. 

n n 

When can their glory fade ? 
O, the wild charge they made ! 
All the world wonder'd. 

n 

Honor the charge they made ! 
Honor the Light Brigade, 

n 

Noble Six Hundred ! 

. Tennyson. 

e. The Unequal Wave is used in conveying an opposite 
meaning to that indicated by the words. The pungency of 
sarcasm, irony, derision, contempt, and kindred states of the 
mind, lies in the inequality of the constituents of the Wave, 
as illustrated in the following passages : 



234 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

n n 

So fare thee well, descendant of the gods ! — Halm. 

% 

An' you will not have me, choose. — Shakespeare. 



From VIRGIimjS. Act IV, Scene 2. 

Numitorius. Will she swear she is her child ? 
Virgimus. Be sure she will; a most wise question that ! 

u u u 

She not his slave ? Will his tongue lie for him, 

U 
Or his hand steal, or the finger of his hand 

Beckon, or point, or shut, or open for him ? 

1 1 U U 

To ask him if she'll swear ! Will she walk or run, 

Sing, dance, or wag her head ? do any thing 

% n 

That is most easy done ? She'll swear as soon ! 

What mockery it is, to have one's life 

In jeopardy by such a bare-faced trick ! 

Is it to be endured ? I do protest 

Against her oath ! Sheridan Knowles. 

f. The Direct Wave is used in affirmatives, in expressing 
positiveness, decisiveness, fearlessness, and deter minatio?i. This 
is obvious because the last constituent falls ; hence the 
expression must conform to the laws of the Rising and 
Falling Concretes. 



From INGOMAR. Act II, Scene 1. 

Ingomar. I love to be opposed ; 

I love my horse when he rears, my dogs when they snarl, 
The mountain torrent, and the sea, when it flings 

n 

Its foam up to the stars : such things as these 

Fill me with life and joy. Tame indolence 
Is living death : the battle of the strong 

Alone is life - Frederick Halm. 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 235 

g. The Inverted Wave is used in negatives, and in ex- 
pressing indefiniteness, doubt, surprise, astonishment, wavering, 
cowardice, in conformity with the laws of the Rising and 
Falling Concretes. 

From HORRORS OF SAVAGE WARFARE. 

What ! attribute the sacred sanction of God and Nature to the 

massacres of the Indian scalping-knife, — to the cannibal savage, 
torturing, murdering, roasting, and eating, — literally, my Lords, 
eating the mangled victims of his barbarous battles ! Such hor- 
rible notions shock every precept of religion revealed or natural, 
and every generous feeling of humanity. — Chatham. 

All the more common forms of the Wave are used in 
antithesis either expressed or implied, also in comparison, 
jesting, and mockery, the form of the Wave depending upon 
the character of the sentiment. In simple constrasts where 
all the parts are expressed, simple Concretes may be used, 
but in implied contrast the Wave is necessary. As the last 
constituent of the Wave is the one that leaves the strongest 
impression upon the ear, and consequently gives the chief 
cast or color to the expression, it should be analyzed in the 
same manner as the Rising and Falling. 

The Wave is always suggestive of a double motive, 

u 

e.g. The assertive question, " You say he will move ? " is 

equivalent to saying " You say he will move, do you ? " 
The Wave on the word " move " indicates two things, the 
first constituent assertion, the second interrogation. In the 
sentence 

" Ah, I am delighted to see you ! " 
the Wave indicates surprise added to delight, — the first con- 
stituent indicating the one, the second the other ; and in 

n 

" Wasn't it grand ! " 



236 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

the Wave indicates deference to another's opinion added to a 
positive expression <?/"the speaker's own opinion or feeling. A 
most excellent practice for the student is to resolve into 
simple motives the numerous Waves heard in ordinary 
utterance. 

5. Intervals of the Concrete. 

By Interval of Pitch is meant the distance between two 
points on the scale. The term may be applied both to 
Concretes and Discretes. 

There are five relative intervals of Pitch, — the Semitone, 
the Second, the Third, the Fifth, and the Octave. These are 
the stops on the scale which are most convenient and most 
satisfying to the ear. Since slight differences make no 
change in the character of expression the exactness of the 
musical scale, especially in the wider Intervals, is not always 
observed. For instance, a tone may be a Fourth, a Sixth, a 
Seventh, or even more than an Octave ; whatever its length, 
it is usually assigned to the class with which it most nearly 
coincides. In the shorter Intervals, however, a slight change 
is more noticeable and far more significant than that of the 
wider Intervals ; a Minor Third, for instance, when substitu- 
ted for a third would change the feeling from that of calm 
state?nent to that of plai?itive?iess. 

The inflections of a sentence will not all be of the same 
length ; principal and emphatic words require longer slides. 
The Intervals vary with the intensity and character of the 
emotion. Since every situation has its corresponding notes 
of inflection, a sure test is whether or not the expression 
conveys the intention of the speaker. Men are instinct- 
ively conscious of the meaning of the various slides. 1 

1 Cowper once said, "There is in souls a sympathy with sounds." Professor 
Homer B. Sprague says : " Let him who would become a good reader or speaker 
give his days and nights first to the scientific analysis which shall enable him to 
discern the precise mental act or state to be expressed and the appropriate voice 
that may body it forth ; then reducing his theory to practice till correct vocal 
delivery becomes spontaneous." 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 



237 



In this connection it must be noted that the Pitch-value 
and the Time-value are not always identical. Any Interval 
may be made with short or long Quantity. The Pitch value 
of a note is ascertained, not by the time it is held, but by the 
Interval over which it passes, i.e., the perpendicular distance 
on the scale between the points of opening and close of the 
note. This may be illustrated by the accompanying figure : 



Short Time. Long Time. 

A A. 


Short Time. 

A 


Long Time. 








1 


y 






1 




J 




/ 


yS 


> 


J 


y 


0^ 



Interval of Third. 



Interval of Octave. 



(1) The Semitone — Use and Illustrations. 

A Concrete Semitone is a slide or Wave of the voice 
through a half Interval of the musical scale. This is the 
shortest, but by no means the least important of the 
Intervals. It is inseparably associated with the Minor Third 
— i.e. three tones less a half tone — in the expression of 
pathos and similar passions. It requires but a few Semitones 
and Minor Thirds to tinge a paragraph with sadness, the 
Semitone predominating, while the Minor Third is used as a 
means of Emphasis. A too frequent use of this Interval, 
however, gives rise to a lachrymose or funereal style. It 
will be found that, many persons use the Semitone in their 
conversation when there is not the slightest occasion for it. 
It is not infrequently heard in the class room, where students, 
when questions are put to them, will answer in plaintive, 
melancholy tones. Mind and voice are out of harmony. The 
one forms a statemeftt, the other gives it out as plaintiveness. It 
is no doubt the result of habit, and is a most serious fault. 



238 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

The styles of discourse in which the Semitone predomi- 
nates are pathos, sadness, plaintiveness, grief, pity, tenderness ; 
it is also heard in complaints of children, whimpering, whining, 
crying, and, indeed, in all forms of animal distress. 

From VIRGIimJS. Act I, Scene 2. 
Virginia. How is it with my heart ? I feel as one 
That has lost everything, and just before 
Had nothing left to wish for ! He will cast 
Icilius off ! — I never told it yet ; 
But take of me, thou gentie air, the secret, 
And ever after breathe more balmy sweet, 
I love Icilius ! Yes, although to thee 
I fear to tell it, that hast neither eye 
To scan my looks, nor voice to echo me, 
Nor e'en an o'er-apt ear to catch my words ; 
Yet, sweet invisible confidant, my secret 
Once being thine, I tell thee, and I tell thee 
Again, and yet again, I love Icilius ! 
He'll cast Icilius off ! — not if Icilius 
Approves his honor. That he'll ever do; 
He speaks and looks and moves a thing of honor, 
Or honor ne'er yet spoke, or look'd, or moved, 
Or was a thing of Earth. — O, come, Icilius ! 
Do but appear, and thou art vindicated. 

Enter Icilius. 

Icilius. Virginia ! sweet Virginia ! sure I heard 
My name pronounced. Was it by thee, Virginia ? 
Thou dost not answer ? Then it was by thee : 
O, wouldst thou tell me why thou namedst Icilius ! 

James Sheridan Kfiowles. 

From MARY STUART. Act III, Scene 4 - 

Elizabeth. You are where it becomes you, Lady Stuart ; 
And thankfully I prize my God's protection, 
Who hath not suffered me to kneel a suppliant 
Thus at your feet, as you now kneel at mine. 






CHANGE OF PITCH. 239 

Mary. Think on all earthly things, vicissitudes. 
O ! there are gods who punish haughty pride : 
Respect them, honor them, the dreadful ones 
Who thus before thy feet have humbled me ! 
Before these strangers' eyes, dishonor not 
Yourself in me : profane not, nor disgrace 
The royal blood of Tudor. In my veins 
It flows as pure a stream as in your own. 
O ! for God's pity, stand not so estranged 
And inaccessible, like some tall cliff, 
Which the poor shipwreck'd mariner in vain 
Struggles to seize, and labors to embrace. 

Schiller. 

Some words in the above exercises may be read with the 
Wave of the Semitone, which adds dignity and plaintiveness 
to the effect. The simple Inflections, however, are much 
more common in all the Intervals, Waves occurring only 
occasionally. 

(2) The Second — Use and Illustrations. 

A Concrete Second is a slide or Wave of the voice through 
a whole Interval of the musical scale. This is the simplest 
and most common of the slides, and is properly employed 
on the unaccented and unemphatic syllables of ordinary dis- 
course. It is used, furthermore, with slightly varying Melody 
in solemnity, reverence, and adoration. 



From THE CLOSING YEAR. 

Remorseless Time ! 
Fierce spirit of the glass and scythe ! what power 
Can stay him in his silent course, or melt 
His iron heart to pity ? On, still on, 
He presses, and forever. The proud bird, 
The condor of the Andes, that can soar 



24O PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Through heaven's unfathomable depths, or brave 
The fury of the northern Hurricane, 
And bathe his plumage in the thunder's home, 
Furls his broad wings at nightfall, and sinks down 
To rest upon his mountain crag : but Time 
Knows not the weight of sleep or weariness, 
And night's deep darkness has no chain to bind 
His rushing pinions. 

Prentice. 



From PSALM XXX. Verses 2, 3. 

O Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 
O Lord, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave : thou hast 
kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 

The Wave of the Second is very common and adds great 
strength to certain words in sublimity and devotion, giving 
them temporal distinction and a slow and solemn gra?ideur 
and majesty that cannot otherwise be attained. 



From PSALM CT7. Verse 24. 
O Lord, how manifold are thy works ! in wisdom hast thou 

n n 

made them all : the earth is full of thy riches. 

Let it be remembered that simple Inflections of a Second 
and Waves of the same Interval are associated in the same 
styles of thought, the former predominating, the latter 
occurring only occasionally; and that the Direct and In- 
verted features of the Wave make but little difference in 
Intervals of the Semitone, and Second, while in the wider 
Intervals much depends upon the form of the Wave. 

(3) The Third — Use and Illustrations. 

A Concrete Third is a slide or Wave of the voice through 
two whole Intervals, including three notes of the musical 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 24 1 

scale. It is the Interval heard in giving distinction to 
accented and emphatic syllables in ordinary discourse. 
Animated conversation abounds in Thirds. It is heard also 
in wit, playfulness, earnest appeal, and in vigorous oratorical 
composition. 

From APPEAL IN BEHALF OF IRELAND. 

There lies upon the other side of the wide Atlantic a beautiful 
island, famous in story and in song. Its area is not so great as 
that of the State of Louisiana, while its population is almost half 
that of the Union. It has given to the world more than its share 
of genius and of greatness. It has been prolific in statesmen, 
warriors, and poets. Its brave and generous sons have fought 
successfully all battles but their own. In wit and humor it has no 
equal; while its harp, like its history, moves to tears by its sweet 
but melancholy pathos. — Prentiss. 

The Rising Third is the inflection used in most cases of 
real inquiry, while the indirect question takes the opposite 
inflection of the same interval. 

x v 

What makes you expect to learn faster than other folks ? are 
/ 
you any smarter? — Anon. 

The Wave of the Third may occur in any of the styles of 
thought in which simple inflections of the same interval are 
used. It is heard most frequently in admiration, gallantry 
and decisiveness in the Direct form, and mindefiniteness, waver- 
ing and comparison in the Inverted form. 



From THE REDE OF JENNIE McNEAL. 

But the grand young captain bow'd, and said, 
" Never you hold a moment's dread : 

Of womankind I must crown you queen ; 

So brave a girl I have never seen : 



242 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

n n 

Wear this gold ring as your valor's due ; 
And when peace comes I will come for you." 
But Jennie's face an arch smile wore, 
As she said, " There's a lad in Putnam's corps, 

n 

Who told me the same, long time ago ; 
You two would never agree, I know ; 

I promised my love to be true as steel," 

Said good, sure-hearted Jennie M'Neal. 

Carleton. 



From UNCLE DAITL'S APPARITION. 

The flaming and churning steamer was right abreast the party, 
and not twenty steps away. The awful thunder of a mud-valve 
suddenly burst forth, drowning the prayer, and as suddenly Uncle 
Dan'l snatched a child under each arm and scoured into the 
woods with the rest of the pack at his heels. And then, ashamed 
of himself, he halted in the deep darkness and shouted, but rather 

ru ru 

feebly, " Heah I is, Lord, heah I is ! " — Mark Twain. 

(4) The Fifth — Use and Illustrations. 

A Concrete Fifth is a slide or Wave of the voice through 
five notes of the musical scale. This Interval is heard less 
frequently than the Second or Third, but it is inseparably 
associated with the latter in strong Emphasis and interroga- 
tion, the Third predominating on unaccented and unem- 
phatic syllables, while the Fifth is used on the principal 
syllables for Emphasis and expression. The majority of 
strong interrogatives take this Interval. When used too 
frequently in conversation, however, it gives to one's speech 
an extravagant turn. If we study nature, we find that senti- 
ments of surprise, delight, joy, manly decision, and defiance are 
expressed in Fifths. Note this Interval on the underscored 
syllables of the following passages : 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 243 

From THE BOYS. 

Has there any old fellow got mix'd with the boys? 
If he has, take him out, without making a noise. 
Hang the almanac's cheat and the catalogue's spite ! 
Old Time is a liar ! we're twenty to-night ! 

We're twenty ! We're twenty ! Who says we are more ? 
He's tipsy, — young jackanapes ! — show him the door ! 
" Gray temples at twenty? " — Yes ! white if we please ; 
Where the snow-flakes fall thickest there's nothing can freeze ! 



Holmes. 

From APPEAL IN BEBA.LF OF IRELAND. 

Go home and look at your family, smiling in rosy health, and 
then think of the pale, famine-pinched cheeks of the poor children 
of Ireland ; and I know you will give, according to your store, 
even as a bountiful Providence has given to you, — not grudgingly, 
but with an open hand. He who is able, and will not aid such a 
cause, is not a man, and has no right to wear the form. He should 
be sent back to Nature's mint, and re-issued as a counterfeit on 
humanity of Nature's baser metal. — Prentiss. 

The Wave of the Fifth occurs only occasionally but is 
used with great effect. In its Direct form it is heard in 
emphatic distinction, delight, extreme admiration, triumph; in 
its inverted form in surprise, antithesis, assertive interrogation. 

" She is won ! we are gone, over bank, bush, and scaur ; 

They'll have fleet steeds that follow !" quoth young Lochinvar. 

Scott. 



244 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



From INGOMAR. Act I, Scene i. 

Actea. 'Tis time to think of marriage ; yet already 
Thou hast rejected Medon. 

n n 

Parthenia. O ! he was old, 

Gray-headed, gouty, coarse, — 

Act. Evander, then. 

Par. Evander ! Yes, he had a fox's cunning, 

(\J O 

With a hyena's heart, and monkey's form. 

Frederick Halm. 
In the assertive question, 

u 

" You say he will resign ? " 

the Inverted Wave of the Fifth may very properly be applied 
to the last syllable, the first constituent indicating the asser- 
tive feature, the last the interrogative. 

(5) The Octave — Use and Illustrations. 

A Concrete Octave is a slide or Wave of the voice through 
eight notes of the scale. It must be remembered that many 
tones placed under this class fall a little short of the Octave, 
while others overrun it, but the Interval is relatively the 
Octave. This is the least common of the Intervals and is 
the natural expression of the most intense feeling, as indig- 
nant astonishment, extreme surprise, intense fear, impassioned 
exclamation and i?iter rogation. 



From HAMLET. Act I, Scene 2. 
Horatio. I saw him once ; he was a goodly king. 
Hamlet. He was a man, take him for all in all, 
I shall not look upon his like again. 

Hora. My lord, I think I saw him yesternight. 






CHANGE OF PITCH. 245 

Ham. Saw? who? 

Hora. My lord, the King your father. 

Ham. The King my father ! 

Shakespeare. 

From OTHELLO. Act III, Scene 3. 

/ago. Patience, I say ; your mind perhaps may change. 

Othello. Never, Iago. Like to the Pontic sea, 
Whose icy current and compulsive course 
Ne'er feels retiring ebb, but keeps due on 
To the Propontic and the Hellespont ; 
Even so my bloody thoughts, with violent pace, 
Shall ne'er look back, ne'er ebb to humble love, 
Till that a capable and wide revenge 
Swallow them up. 

Shakespeare. 

The Wave of the Octave is heard only occasionally but is 
very expressive. It is the language of the highest state of 
astonishment, horror, exaltation, and interrogation. It is heard 
frequently in the mocking and jesting of children. 

n n 

Angels and ministers of grace defend us ! — Shakespeare. 

n n 

Save me, and hover over me with your wings, 
You heavenly guards ! 

Shakespeare. 

n 

The tribe is waiting for us, and the master is waiting. Ha, ha, 
'tis done, 'tis done. We have overthrown the proud. The hand 

n n n n 

that smote us is in the dust. Ours the glory, ha, ha, ha, ha ! — 
Wallace. 

In studying the Intervals of speech the student should 
bear in mind that not all the words of a passage are to be 
read with the same Interval. The Second and Third are 



246 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



the rule, the others are the exceptions, and occur on indi- 
vidual words, such as are expressive of the states of mind 
of which these rarer Intervals are the natural expression. 
Positive changes of sentiment require corresponding changes 
of the Intervals used, and the student will find it most in- 
teresting to note the inflections used under the influence of 
various passions. Thoughts with solemn or gloomy emotion 
express themselves in slight variations of inflection; excited 
emotions in wider variations, and violent emotions in the 
greatest variations. 

6. Vocal Exercises in Rising, Falling, and Waving Concretes. 

(1) Repeat the question, " Did you say it was I ? " five 
times, giving Rising Concretes of the Semitone, Second, Third, 
Fifth and Octave, respectively, on the word " I " as illustrated 
in the subjoined staff. 



■d- 



J- 



* 



I." " I." 



" I." 



(2) Repeat the sentence, "I said no," five times, giving 
the Falling Concretes separately, as indicated in the accom- 
panying figure. 











c^ 


<-\ 


c^ 


<\ 


^A 


\ 


A 


~\ 


\ 


\ 


\ 










\ 



No.' 



No.' 



No.' 



"No." 



» No." 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 



247 



(3) Repeat the question, " Pale or red ? " five times, alter- 
nating the Rising and Falling Concretes on the words 
"pale" and "red" respectively, as indicated below. 



t^-^- 



J-^ 



^V 




" Pale, red." " Pale, red." " Pale, red." " Pale, red." " Pale, red." 

(4) Practice sounds and words through the several Intervals 
as indicated in the preceding figure. 

(5) Sound e, a, a, and in Equal Waves of a Semitone, 
Second, Third, Fifth and Octave, respectively, as indicated in 
the subjoined figure, (a) in the Direct form, (b)"m the In- 
verted form, (c) in both forms combined. 




(6) Use the same sounds in practicing Unequal Waves. 

(7) Let the student draw a variety of waved lines, both 
regular and irregular, and execute the movements with the 
voice. 



248 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



II. Discrete. 

Discrete (from dis, apart, and cerno, to perceive) is a step 
of the voice from one point of Pitch to another. As the 

word indicates, it is a thinking apart — a separating of tones 
on the scale. It is the silence between syllables of different 
Degrees of Pitch. When there is a change of Pitch between 
two syllables in succession the Interval passed over is a 
Discrete. 

i. Comparison with Concrete. 

Concrete is a sliding from one Degree to another, Discrete is 
a stepping ; Concrete is sound, Discrete is silence. As every syl- 
lable in speech must have a Concrete, it follows that there 
must be at least two Concretes before there can be a 
Discrete. In speech there can be no Discretes without 
Concretes, but there may be Concretes without Discretes. 
For example, when two or more syllables occur in succession 
on the same plane of Pitch there are no steps. Discretes are 
measured by the perpendicular distance between the planes 
on which the notes begin. For example, in the question, 
"Were his visits daily? " the second syllable of the last word 



is properly placed a tone 
above the first ; thus, 



J- 



1 



In the following sen- 
tence the last three 



dai - ly 



syllables may fall successively : 
" The day was beautiful ; " 



^. 



*V 



A 



beau - ti 



ful. 



In the latter case there is a downward step between the first 
and second, and between the second and third syllables. 



To use a homely illustration : as one moves up or down a flight 
of steps the feet take the Discrete movement while the hand on the 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 249 

railing takes the Concrete. The same may be said of ascending 
and descending by the stairs and an elevator respectively ; the one 
act is by stepping, the other by sliding. 

In the following sentence observe that the two acts occur, 
that each syllable has its Concrete and that between the 
syllables in every case but one (between "it" and "can") 
there is a Discrete : 



c/ J A , , j*/ K 



<S c/ " ^°\ 



If we fail it can be no worse for us. 

2. Classes of Discrete. 

There are two classes of the Discrete, the Upward, and 
the Downward. 

(1) The Upward Discrete is a step of the voice from one 
point of Pitch to some point higher. 

(2) The Downward Discrete is a step of the voice from 
one point of Pitch to some point lower. 

3. Intervals of Discrete. 

The Intervals of the Discrete are the same as those of 
the Concrete, viz., the Semitone, the Second, the Third, the 
Fifth, and the Octave, and they are used for the most part in 
conjunction with Concretes of the same Intervals, through 
the different Degrees of Pitch, for variety in expression. The 
more solemn the discourse the shorter and less frequent the 
Discretes ; the more broken and impassioned the thought 
the wider and more frequent the Discretes. 

4. Illustrations of Discrete Changes. 

In the following illustrations let J represent the Upward steps 
and L the Downward. Remember that these characters are used 
simply to show where, in our judgment, the most striking Discretes 
should occur, and not that the voice should proceed in an angular 
way. 



2$0 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION, 



From PARRHASIUS AND THE CAPTIVE. 

L J 

< Pity ' thee ! So I do ! 
J. J 

I pity the dumb victim at the altar ; 

But does the robed priest for his pity falter ? 
J L J 

I'd rack thee, though I knew 
L J L 
A thousand lives were perishing in thine ; 

J L J 

What were ten thousand to a fame like mine ? 



Willis. 



From HAMLET. Act III, Scene 2. 

J 
Hamlet. 'Sblood, do you think I am easier to be played on 
J . J L 

than a pipe ? Call me what instrument you will, though you can 
J L J 

fret me, you cannot play upon me. — Shakespeare. 



It will be seen that the Discrete is a most important means 
of Emphasis. By striking the word "ten" in the first 
exercise five notes above the preceding word it is made 
strongly emphatic. 

In the following passage, in which solemnity and pathos 
abound, the Concretes are mostly Seconds, with the Discretes 
corresponding, except in the last two lines, in which the 
Semitone predominates. 



From THE WRECK AT RrVERMOUTH. 

Suddenly seaward swept the squall ; 
J 
The low Sun smote through cloudy rack ; 
J 
The shoals stood clear in the light, and all 

The trend of the coast lay hard and black; 



CHANGE OF PITCH. 25 I 

J 
But, far and wide as eye could reach, 

J L 

No life was seen upon wave or beach ; 

The boat that went out at morning never 

L 
Sail'd back again into Hampton River. 

J 
O mower, lean on thy bended snath, 
J L 

Look from the meadows green and low : 
J L 

The wind of the sea is a waft of death, 
J J L 

The waves are singing a song of woe 1 

By silent river, by moaning sea, 

J J 

Long and vain shall thy watching be : 

J 
Never again shall the sweet voice call, 

J L L 

Never the white hand rise and fall ! 



Whittier. 



J I I L 

I'll tear her all to pieces. — Shakespeare. 



From HAMLET. Act V, Scene 1. 

J L 

'Swounds, show me what thou'lt do : 

J L J L J L J 

Woo't weep ? woo't fight ? woo't fast ? woo't tear thyself ? 

L L 

I'll do't. Dost thou come here to whine? 

To outface me with leaping in her grave ? 

J J 

Be buried quick with her, and so will I ; 

J 
And, if thou prate of mountains, let them throw 

J 
Millions of acres on us, till our ground, 

Singeing his pate against the burning zone, 

J L 

Make Ossa like a wart ! 

Shakespeare. 



252 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



Care should be taken never to allow notes of song to appear in 
reading. The " sing-song " style, formerly much more common in 
the schools, consists of regularly recurring discretes with notes of 
song introduced at intervals. This is a habit that should not be 
tolerated. 

5. Vocal Culture of Discrete. 

(1) Practice a, a and separately in notes of song, 
beginning on E of the scale, thus : 











I 




—f 






j 




J 


w 




1 




J 










J 

L* 


-0 


-0 


S 


-0 


-J 


LJ 1 



3, 3. • 3.j 3. j 3-j 3. j 3 ; 3. j 3, 3. > 3.. 3 . 3« 3,. 



J j i J , |J |J |J iJ J 



i 



i 



a, a 1 a, a 5 a, a 5 a, a j a, a j a. a 5 a, a. 

(2) Practice a, e, 1 and separately with notes of speech, 
thus : 













c/ 


d 








7 


^ 








-7 


^ 










^ ^ 


(j 

j 


J 


-7 


-V 


^ 


J 


a, a; a, a; a, a; a, a; a, a; a, a; a, a. 


^ 


d 


d 


<y 


d 


^ 


d 


c/ — 


d 


j 














- u 


d. 


J 
















</ 


J 


a, a; 


a, a; 


a, a; 


a, a; 


a, a; 


a, a; 


a, a. 



MELODY. 2 53 

(3) Practice a, e, i and separately in notes of speech, 
keeping the Discretes as indicated above, but alternating 
the Concretes. 

(4) Practice the words " gaily " and " sudden " separately 
through the same succession of notes, using two notes to 
each word. 

(5) Speak the words " gaily" and "sudden," making 
steps of a Semitone, Second, Third, Fifth, and Octave respec- 
tively up and down the scale. 



SECTION III. — MELODY. 

Melody (from melodos, melodious, musical) is the succes- 
sion of speech-notes as they occur in utterance. 

It is composed of Concretes and Discretes. The term is 
a relative one and although, musically considered, it means 
a sweet or agreeable succession of sounds, we shall apply it 
as well to a displeasing succession. If the arrangement is 
agreeable and the tones are in correct Intervals the Melody 
is good. If the Intervals are incorrect and disagreeable, 
the Melody is bad. There is a music of speech as well as a 
music of song. The skillful speaker does not follow a set 
form of notes, as does the singer ; he at once creates and 
delivers his Melody. His art is two-fold, and therefore more 
difficult than that of the singer. Touching the sensibilities 
of an audience as the skilled musician the keys of his 
instrument, not the least of his elements of power is his 
proper management of Melody. 

Who can forget the charm of the easy, natural Melody of Booth 
in his marvelous production of Hamlet, or of Wendell Phillips in 
his intense, conversational oratory ; and yet both of these men 
worked, as few men ever worked, to possess agreeable variety of 
Pitch. Their naturalness came of the mastery, of the principles 
of their art. 



2 54 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

In speaking of Melody, Mandeville, in his " Elements of Read- 
ing and Oratory," says " One should acquire the habit of reading 
and speaking as he converses, with the same tone predominating, 
and with the same easy and natural variations of the voice." 

Keeping in mind the laws already laid down under Con- 
crete, this general law should be observed in Melody : The 
voice descends by degrees on light syllables to make strong Rising 
Concretes, and ascends by degrees on light syllables to make strong 
Falling Concretes. This prevents broken and displeasing 
Melody. 

The following sentence which we put to Melody will 
serve to illustrate this principle : 



^v 



^ *\ c ; ■? 



^^ / a —^ 



^~^"~ - ~ ~- 



He is not the man I called for; he is 



^ T^ 



~J 



J- 



d 



a rogue ; I tell you he is a rogue. 

Also in the following colloquy between Hamlet and 
Polonius : 

Hamlet. Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a 
camel ? 

Polonius. By the mass, and 'tis like a camel, indeed. 

Ham. Methinks it is like a weasel. 

Pol. It is backed like a weasel. 

Ham. Or like a whale ? 

Pol. Very like a whale. Shakespeare. 



MELODY. 255 

The last part of this may be notated as follows : 





J * \ 


J d , 


d - > ^ j d 




"Me - thinks it 


is like a wea - sel." " It is backe 1 






°\ ~ d 


j d C\ "\ ^ J \ 


^ d 


J ^ d \ 



like a wea - sel." "Or like a whale?" "Ve - ry like 



whale.' 



The character of Melody depends upon the sentiment or 
feeling that prompts expression, therefore this division of 
Pitch is a special agent of man's Emotive nature. 

Melody is divided into two parts, Currefit, and Cadence. 

I. Current Melody. 

Current Melody (from curro, to run) is the succession of 
tones which runs through the body of the sentence. As the 
word indicates, it is the running Melody — the general drift 
of the main part of the sentence as distinguished from the 
Cadence which gives repose at the close of the Melody. 

The Current may be compared to the current of a stream 
with its sparkling wavelets, and the Cadence to the fall of 
the stream into a lake where it ends as a stream. A tranquil 
sentence should flow along in delightful Melody and close 
with a fall of voice as satisfying as the Cadence of a sweet 
song. In strong dramatic or impassioned thought the Cur- 
rent thunders along with turbulent waves to its Cadence 
and plunges in its fall with the force of a Niagara. Witness 
the analogy between the elements of vocal expression and 
the voice of Nature. 



256 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



Current Melody is divided into four classes, three of 
which are further subdivided, as indicated in the following 
diagram : 

Monotone 



Current Melody 



Ditone 



Tritone 



Polytone 



{Rising 
Falling 
C Rising 

(^Falling 
f Rising 



(^Falling 

These are called phrases of Melody as they bear the 
same relation to a complete Melody as do rhetorical phrases 
to a sentence. In some of the accompanying illustrations 
bars are used to mark the phrases. 

1. The Monotone. 

When two or more consecutive syllables begin on the 
same plane of Pitch the phrase of Melody is called the 
Monotone. * 





MONOTONE. 
A 




AAA 


U^ 






u u u 




J c\ J 


A c °\ 



The Monotone is not necessarily monotonous. Variety 
in the use of Monotone comes from placing its various 
phrases on different planes of Pitch. Monotony is the bete 
noire of Elocution. The most varied and beautiful phrase of 
Melody will produce monotony if it recurs too frequently. 

1 It will be seen from the accompanying illustration that the relative 
position of the radicals of the notes and not their Concretes determines 
the character of the phrase of Melody. 



MELODY. 257 

The Monotone is the simplest form of Melody, and is one 
of the most valuable elements of power. It is heard in its 
simplest form in counting, enumerating, in reading advertise- 
ments — a sale bill, for example, in which there is little 
occasion for variety. It is indispensable in the delivery of 
solemnity, sublimity, awe, veneration, and mystery. The more 
grave the emotion the more frequent the phrase of the 
Monotone. The solemnity of a rebuke or an oath would sound 
flippant without the Monotone. Superior weight of feeling 
precludes great elasticity of Melody. 

The student will have no difficulty in pointing out the 
phrases of the Monotone in the following notated passages: 



c/c/c/c/J^ J J J J J J J J J 



+r 



^ ^ 



I am thy fath-er's spir-it; doomed for a cer - tain term to walk the night, 



d d d d d \ J J^_ * 



and for the day con - fined to fast in fires, till the foul cr 



J J d d J J J J J 



J J J " u * " u u w ^ 



done in my days of na - ture are burnt and purged a - way. 

2. The Ditone. 

When the second of two syllables is a tone above or 
below the first, the phrase of Melody is called the Ditone. 

This is the literal meaning of the term and the one intended by 
Dr. Rush, but we hold that the term may not inappropriately be 
applied to phrases of Melody in which the interval reaches even 
a Third. This departure will be found very useful in Melody 
that is slightly more varied than the diatonic. 



258 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



There are two divisions of the Ditone : the Risifig and 
the Falling. 

(i) The Rising Ditone is that phrase of Melody in which 
the second of two syllables is sounded a tone above the 
first. 

(2) The Falling Ditone is that phrase in which the sec- 
ond of two syllables is sounded a tone below the first. 1 

The following cut illustrates the various Ditones : — 



Ditone 



Rising 



Falling 



J- 



1 



-\ 



A 



J-^ 



V 



"Y 



J- 



~3 



"Y 



J. 



^ ^ 



^w7 



In the following sentences from "Virginius" the Ditones 
and alternate Ditones occur very frequently: — 



J J J J ^ 



J j J j^ ^ 2 



^ 



^-^ 



"V 



*\ 



It is with I - cil - i - us. Look, the wreath is made of ro - ses, that 



TV 



-J 



■J- — d c\ J- 



^ 



:/ 



j 



J- 



-t 



-j- 



j u j 



*\ 



en-twines the let-ters." "And this is all?" "And is it not e-nough?' 



1 Dr. Rush adds another phrase which he calls the Alternation. But as this 
is nothing more than a series of Ditones in which the voice strikes alternately 
two planes of Pitch, the term seems to us superfluous, and we, therefore, omit it 
from the classification. 



MELODY. 



259 



^v 



7V7 



J J ,J\J 



^7 ^7 



A sigh came out, and then al - most a tear; And she did look as 



-J 



^ J J J r - \J J J J J J J 1 —^ 



pit - e - ous on the harm that she had done, as she had done it to 



d- d- ov d d \ d — J- a a 



1 



A thing had sense to feel it, Nev - er aft - er she iet me note 



^ ^ J J 



TZ 



j. j. 



^v 



a 



her at the work a - gain. She had good rea - son." 

Knowles. 

3. The Tritone. 

The Tritone is a phrase of Melody consisting of three 
tones that move upward or downward successively by Dis- 
cretes of a tone. 

There are two divisions of the Tritone : the Rising and 
the Falling. 

(1) In the Rising Tritone the second of three syllables is 
placed a tone above the first, and the third 



j 



J- 



J 



a tone above the second. In the simple 
inquiry, " Was the day beautiful ? " the last 
word takes the Rising Tritone, thus, 

(2) In the Falling Tritone the second of three syllables is 
placed a tone below the first, and the third a tone below the 
second. In the simple statement, " Corn- 
modus was Emperor," the last word takes 
the Falling Tritone which in this instance 
becomes a Cadence, thus, 



^. 



^ 



^\ 



Em - per - or 



260 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



The following cut illustrates several varieties of Rising 
and Falling Tritone : — 



Tritone < 



Rising 



Falling 



1 



J 



7 



^ 



^ 



^ 



1 



~T\ 



J^ 



°\ 



~z 



d- 



V 



^ 



^v 



^ 



^J- 



*\ 



~J 



^7 



Note the opportunities for the use of the Tritone in this 
spirited passage from Chatham: — 

J. 



j °> ' J j ,2 



J- 



d 



J ° J \o> J J° J 



I would not de - bate a point of law with the gen - tie-man ; I 



7 



J- 



T7 



^v 



\o, J 



77 



J d d \ 



TTJ 



-J- 



know his a - bil - i - ties. I have been o - bliged to his di - li - gent 



"J 



eL^- 



\ j j j ° ' ^^j 772 



^ 



search -es. But, for the de- fence of lib - er - ty up - on a 



J^^.JJJ.J^ ,J d JJJ 



"J 



"V a **J* -\^j 



ge - ne - ral prin-ci - pie, up - on a con - sti - tu-tion - al prin - ci-ple, it is a 



JjJJc/^jJ^ J~d ^ 



^ 



A 



ground on which I stand firm ; on which I dare meet a - ny man. 

Chatham. 



MKl.ODY. 



26l 



4. The Polytone. 

The Polytone 1 is a phrase of Melody consisting of four 
or more tones that move upward or downward successively 
by Discretes of a tone. 

The divisions of the Polytone are the same as those of 
the Ditone and Tritone, viz., the Rising and the Falling. 

(1) In the Rising Polytone the syllables move upward 
successively by discretes of a tone. For example in the 
sentence, " Is this man imaginative, and is he poetically 
inclined?" the rising polytone occurs 
twice — on each of the words "imagi- 
native" and "poetically," beginning 
with the second syllable, thus : 



~J 



J- 



~7 



J- 



im - ag - 
po - et - 



na 

cal 



tive 

iy 



(2) In the Falling Polytone the syllables move Down- 
ward successively by Discretes of a tone, e. g. take the above 
illustration and turn the inquiry into a statement, " This man 
is imaginative, and is poetically inclined," and we find that 
the Falling Polytone is the easiest 
and most appropriate phrase of Mel- 



ody for these same words, "imagina- 
tive" and "poetically," thus : 



A 



-^v 



^ 



im - ag 
po - et 



na 
cal 



tive 

iy 



The Polytone will be found to occur 
following very earnest passage : 



few times in the 



~J~7 



J- 



7 



J- 



J \ J J \ 



TT 



\ 



I have given to the winds those false ac - cu - sa - tions, as I 



1 This term is not found in Dr. Rush's Philosophy. Our reason for adding it 
is that we may have some means of denoting Discrete successions of more than 
three tones, which, it will be found, are quite common in utterance. 



262 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



J J J \ , J 



"J— J 



J 



^V 



con - sign that which now im - peach - es my mot - ives 



j J\ 



n 



j- 



^v 



-J 



^ d 



I have no de - sire for of - fice, not even the high - est. 



j J s ^ -. j ^ 



j- 



- - ~\ ^^j j * j j 



~j 



I am no can - di - date for a - ny of - fice in the gift of the 



-cT^ 



J d J d d J ^ - 



~d~ 



J. 



^ ^ J 



peo - pie of these states, u - nit - ed or sep - a - rat - ed I nev - er 



~"\ J J J °S c^ 



^ 



wish, nev - er ex - pect, to be. — Clay. 



*\ 



<\ 



^ jeJ J J J J J J J^ 

In - to this fair re - gion God has seen fit to send the most 



v j j d d ,d d j j ^ O- 



"V^7 



7 



X 



ter-ri -ble of all those fear-fulmin - is - ters that ful - fil his de-crees. 

Prentiss. 



MELODY. 263 

Mr. Murdoch, in treating Melody, after having given a number 
of illustrations, desires it to be distinctly understood that the 
notations given are simply "to illustrate the manner in which the 
voice may traverse the scale. This is true of all the notations; 
they do not represent the way in which the language must be 
given but a way in which it may be given." 

5. Use of Phrases of Melody. 

The Ditones, Tritones, and Polytones are used in speech 
to break up monotony. They occur in conversation, animated 
description, earnest appeal, gayety, anger, and heroic sentiments 
— in fact in almost all styles of thought except the grave, 
majestic, and solemn, which require the least variety, and 
the impassioned and exclamatory, which require the most 
broken Melody. These phrases with the Monotone con- 
stitute the Diatonic Melody, in which the Current of 
unemphatic syllables is made up of slides and skips of a 
tone, with occasional Thirds and Fifths for interrogation 
and Emphasis. 

The above illustrations show occasional Thirds and Fifths 
but the general drift when uninterrupted by Emphasis and 
interrogation will be found to be Diatonic. 

6. Broken Melody. 

Broken Melody is made up of Concretes and Discretes 
in which the intervals traversed are Thirds, Fifths, and 
Octaves. 

It is oftentimes difficult to determine where the Diatonic 
merges into the Broken Melody and vice versa; and still 
more difficult is it to find extended passages in which there 
is no trace of Diatonic Melody. 

The Diatonic Melody is the rule; Broken, and Chromatic 
Melody are the exception. If we note the utterance of men 
under passion we shall find that they use Broken Melody 



264 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



in exclamations of joy, triumph, rage, amazement and terror, 
and in other very strong feeling. 

Let the student practice the following passages not only 
as a means of expression but as an excellent vocal exercise : 

From MACBETH. Act III, Scene 3. 



J- 



J 



-j 



J- 



J-J- 



1 



A - vaunt! and quit my sight! let the earth hide thee! 



^ 



t 



J- 



<* — =v 



-J 



J- 



A 



Thy bones are mar - row - less, thy blood is cold. 

Shakespeare. 
From HAMLET. Act I., Scene 4. 



<\ 


J \ J \ ~ 






\ 


\ - \ 


S\ 


J 


^ J <\ 


- \ 


"Be ruled, you shall not 


go.' 


"My 


fate cries out 


J 


J J J - 




J 


J J 


J cJ 


J 




^ 





and makes each pet - ty ar - te - ry in this bo - dy 



MELODY. 265 





J J J \ 


J J J J J 


°v , 




x \ 


as hard - y as the Ne - me - an 


li - on's nerve. 


^ 


\ . A 


\ j j <\ A x . 


J V c/ 




Still am I called. Uu - hand me, 


gen - tie - men; — 




A . 


J 1 j \J ~\j 


J J \ 


J 


By Heaven, I'll make a ghost of 


him that lets me ! 


<-\ 


A 


J J J \ J <\ cJ 


<=\ „ 


\ \ ^ 



I say a - way! Go on; I'll fol - low thee." 

Shakespeare. 

7. Chromatic Melody. 

In Chromatic Melody the Concretes are Semitones with 
minor thirds for Emphasis and interrogation; the Discretes, 
although generally Semitones, are not necessarily so; they 
may be Seconds, Thirds, or even greater intervals; it is 
the Concretes that indicate the emotion. The Chromatic 



266 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Melody is used in the expression of plaintiveness, tenderness, 
pity, pathos and grief. 

In the following selection, instead of using musical char- 
acters throughout to indicate the Semitone, we have chosen 
simply to place a sharp at the beginning of each staff of 
Chromatic Melody. 

From VIRGHaUS. Act II, Scene 2. 



<"* ' \ d J J d " " <> d + 



Didst thou but know, young man, how fond - ly I have watched her, 



tdd'^^dd^^' ^ 



^r 



since the day her moth-er died, and left me to a charge of dou - ble 



# 



- A d j j j d j <* J j , j 



du - ty bound ; how she hath been my pon - dered thought by day, 



* 1 d^ ^W^<W \ 



my dream by night, my prayer, my vow, my of - fer - ing, my praise, 



™ J J J \A *\ "A ^ V ^ 



my sweet com - pan - ion, pu - pil, tu - tor, child ; thou wouldst not won- 



t 



•\ y d J d J j' 1 — ^"\j j J 



der, that my drown - ing eye and chok - ing ut - ter - ance up - braid my 



# 



J J J J J J 



tongue, that tells thee she is thine. 

Knowles. 



MELODY. 267 



II. Cadence. 



Cadence (cado, to fall) is that part of the Melody which 
gives repose at the close of a sentence when the thought 
is complete. 

It consists of at least three downward steps from the Cur- 
rent Melody, or of slides that cover the same space. These 
steps or degrees of Pitch are called the constitue?its of the 
Cadence. The last constituent must always have a Falling 
slide, without which there can be no Cadence. This does 
not imply that all Falling inflections produce Cadence; far 
from this. The voice may for Emphasis strike down repeat- 
edly in Pitch without reaching the key-note or line of repose. 
This very frequently occurs in clauses that are temporarily 
complete. The voice should be sustained above the key- 
note until the sentence comgs to an end and completes the 
thought. There can, therefore, be no Cadence in direct in- 
terrogatives, where the thought is to be completed by an 
answer. The effect of a Cadence in speech is as grateful 
as a Cadence in song. The ear is disappointed without it. 
It is necessary therefore to the best efforts of eloqence. 
That speaker who denies himself Cadence, either purposely 
or from ignorance of how to use it, keeps his audience in a 
continual strain of attention, and, leaving nothing complete, 
gives them no opportunity to show their approval of his 
sentiments. Such a speaker rarely creates enthusiasm in 
his audience. 1 

1 A recent writer says on this subject : " Cadence is difficult to acquire and 
more difficult to understand." This author, the nomenclature of whose book is 
derived chiefly from Dr. Rush's " Philosophy of the Voice," should have read 
more closely. The Melody of Cadence, as treated by Rush, is one of the most 
positive and useful contributions to the Science of Elocution. It will be found 
on careful reading that he is very clear on the subject, and that Cadence is not 
only not " difficult to understand " but with a little practice is easy " to acquire." 



268 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



There are five divisions of Cadence, as shown in the 
following diagram : — 

f i. Monad 

2. Duad 



First 
Second 
Cadence «j Triad f Rising 
( Falling 
4. Tetrad 
,_ 5. Pentad 



These Cadences may be illustrated as follows : — 
Monad Duad Triad 



J 



^. 



" a r 



c\ 



^. 



First 



Tetrad 



A 



•^ 



A 



v 

Second 



Rising Falling 

Pentad 



^V 



A 



^v 



^L 



1. The Monad. 

In a Monad the Cadence occurs on a single syllable. 
The three constituents (i. e. the steps or degrees of pitch 
already referred to) are passed over in 07ie note. This is 
the strongest of the Cadences, and is used when the ulti- 
mate syllable of the closing word is heavily accented, or 
when the sentence ends with a very emphatic monosylla- 
ble, e. g. : 



jjdddjddddjddd 



\ 



W 



Our leg - is - la - tive pow er o - ver the col - o - nies is su - preme. 

Chatham. 



MELODY. 269 



J , J "\ c, , J J 



J j * J * ^ _,/ 



°\ 



We have but to reach forth to it, and it is ours. 

Webster. 

2. The Duad. 

In a Duad the Cadence is made on the last two syllables 
of the sentence. There are two divisions of this Cadence, 
the First Duad, and the Second Duad. 

(1) In the First Duad the first two constituents of the 
Cadence are joined in one Falling slide on the syllable last 
but one ; the last syllable occupies the third constituent 
in a short Falling slide. This Cadence is used when the 
penultimate syllable of the sentence is accented, as indicated 
by the shaded note in the following illustration : 



d d J vLjL^^^J^ J |«\ 



a 



The French Rev - o - lu - tion be - gan with great and fa - tal er • rors. 

Mackintosh. 



J J J ^J , J J d J ^ 



~3 



^ 



He un - der - stood his sub - jects aad knew how to ex - cite tJiem. 

Thompson. 

(2) In the Second Duad the penultimate syllable of the 
sentence rises on the first constituent ; the second and third 
constituents are joined in one Falling slide on the ultimate 
syllable. This Cadence is used when the ultimate syllable 
of the sentence is moderately strong. 

It will be found that the Monad and Second Duad are 
often interchangeable, the choice between them being 
dependent upon the Emphasis. 



27O PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



J J J ^\ "l / / J / ~l J J J 



^ J J J d J J 



The wings of the morn - ing are the beams of the ris - ing sun. 

Webster. 



d J J J t c) d ' J J JJ J ,JJ\ J - 



-j- „ ■— ^r 



Nev - er was a eu - lo - gy pro-nounced up-on a bod - y more de - served. 

Burke. 

3. The Triad. 

In a Triad the Cadence requires three syllables, each one 
occupying a constituent 

There are two divisions of this cadence, the Rising Triad, 
and the Falling Triad. 

(1) In the Rising Triad the first two constituents have 
each the Rising Concrete, and the third has the Falling. It 
is appropriate when the last three syllables of the sentence 
are about equally emphatic, e. g. 



J J d *\ J d J J J d 


J J 




*\ 


I can - not tear my soul from my moth - er's oh 


iarin chair. 


j J J J j J ^ j J 


Jj 




°\ 



He sits in his ea - sy chair and reads all day long. 

(2) In the Falling Triad all the constituents of the 
Cadence have Falling slides. It is used when the ante- 
penultimate syllable of the sentence is accented, e. g. 



MELODY 



271 



Z^ 



d ,d jd Jd 



d. 



^^ 



J^J- 



\ 



•^ 



li 



Be - fore writ- ing was in - vent - ed, ex - act !::iowl-edge was im - pos-si-ble. 

Froude. 



y j d d j j 



d , d j j j\ 



°\ 



I will come to the di - rect charg - es a - gainst your char-ac-ter. 

Demosthenes. 

These are all the Cadences enumerated by Dr. Rush except 
the False Cadence and the Prepared Cadence. He explains that 
in the former the middle constituent of the Cadence is omitted, 
and the impression upon the ear is unreposeful. It is, in short, an 
unsuccessful attempt at a Cadence. If, then, it is a fault of ex- 
pression, we think it deserves no place in our classification. 

The latter — the Prepared Cadence — he calls a note of warn- 
ing, given a few syllables previous to the Cadence, that the sen- 
tence and period are about to come to a close. This is done by 
a Downward step of a Third, or more as the case may be, to the 
line of repose, where the note rises. But as it is only a peculiar 
feature of the Current Melody, and can be so accounted for, we 
claim that this also should be omitted from the classification. 

There are, however, sentences whose structure at the close will 
not admit of any of the Cadences already treated. To meet this 
want, we here supplement the Rush classification with two other 
Cadences, which, from analogy, we name the Tetrad, and Pentad. 



4. The Tetrad. 

In the Tetrad there are four syllables in the Cadence, 
each having a Falling Concrete. It is used only when the 
last strongly accented syllable of the sentence is the preante- 
penult, e. g. 



V^\d^j^J ,j J ?S 



^L 



~d' 



"\ 



d 



^ 



He does not pro - fess to be re - lat - ing facts, he is i - de ~ al - iz-ing. 



272 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



J , J J 



e^L^ 



J J J * J 



d j J J 



^ 



^ 



S 



He un-der- takes no work that he does not do ar - tist-ic-al-ly. 

5. The Pentad. 

In the Pentad there are five syllables in the Cadence, 
each having a Falling slide. It is used only when the last 
strongly accented syllable of the sentence is the propre- 
antepetiult, e.g. 



^ 



d- 



J 



J—J- 



y 



J- 



J 



<\ 



*v 



a 



The man's life was one of pure dis - in-ter-est-ed-f, 



j j J J j \ jjZ- 



^ 



^ 



3 



It was not on - ly well done, but ar - tist-ic-al-ly so. 



6. Law of Use of Cadence. 

In Broken Melody the Concretes and Discretes take 
wider intervals, and in Chromatic Melody narrower intervals 
than are required by the Diatonic Melody, but Cadence 
may be adapted to all kinds of Melody. The kind 
of Cadence to be used is determined (1) by the logical 
meaning or Emphasis, and (2) by the position of the accent at 
the close of the sente?ice. 

First. In order to show that Emphasis helps to deter- 
mine Cadence, let us take the sentence, "You can't paint 
sound," and read it with different Emphases. If the author 
means to convey that one may paint color but not sound, 
the Cadence must be either the Monad or the Second Duad, 



MELODY. 273 

with the Emphasis upon the word " sound." If the idea 
is that one may hear sound but cannot paint it, the 
correct Cadence must be the First Duad. If one has said 
he can paint sound, and you wish to contradict- the state- 
ment, then the Falling Triad is the only admissible Cadence, 
making can't the strongest syllable. If the Emphasis be 
balanced on the last three words, which seems to be the 
proper reading, making a calm statement of fact that it is 
impossible to paint sound, the Rising Triad is the only appro- 
priate Cadence. 

Second. To show the influence of the position of the 
accent, take the sentence, " The man was disbelieved ; " as 
it stands, with the accent moderately strong on the ultimate 
syllable, the Second Duad would be the proper Cadence ; 
but if on account of contrast the accent be drawn back to 
the antepenult, dis, the only appropriate Cadence would be 
the Falling Triad. Again, if a sentence close with such a 
word as "overthrow" the form of the Cadence would 
depend upon the placing of the accent, which, in turn, 
would depend upon the meaning of the word. 

To recapitulate, in determining Cadence, observe the fol- 
lowing laws : — 

(1) When the ultimate syllable of the sentence is very 
strong, use the Monad ; 

(2) When the ultimate is moderately strong, use the Second 
Duad ; 

(3) When the penult is strong, use the First Duad ; 

(4) When the last three syllables are about equally em- 
phatic, use the Rising Triad ; 

(5) When the antepenult is strongest, use the Falling 
Triad ; 

(6) When the preantepenult is the last strong syllable 
in the sentence, use the Tetrad ; and 

(7) When the propreantepenult is the last strong syllable, 
use the Pentad. 



274 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Dr. Rush says : " The person who studies Cadence will not find 
himself at the end of a sentence with a syllable that seems out of 
joint with its intonation." 

In this connection let us note some of the principal 

7. Defects in Cadence. 

(1) Dropping the voice too suddenly at the close of the 
sentence. 

(2) Making the descent on the first part of the Cadence 
so low as not to leave room for the last syllable. 

(3) Making the lowest note husky or inaudible. 

(4) Allowing the voice to rise on the last syllable of the 
Cadence. 

This is a most common fault with ministers, so common, 
indeed, that it is generally known as the " preacher's Cadence," 
which, by the way, is not a cadence but an attempt at one. 

(5) Giving a note of song, on the last syllable. 

(6) Giving the last syllable a Concrete Semitone, often 
turning plain discourse into pathos. 

(7) Making a Cadence where the thought is not complete. 
This is very common in the reading of poetry. 

8. Sentences Illustrating Cadence. 

Let the student determine upon and execute correctly the 
Cadences in the following sentences: 

(1) And if the war must go on, why put off longer the Declara- 
tion of Independence? — Webster. 

(2) There is nothing sinister which can happen to you, in which 
we shall not be involved. — Burke. 

(3) Grovelling souls - are utterly incapable of elevating them- 
selves to the higher and nobler duties of pure patriotism. — Clay. 

(4) I know the skill of your officers. — Chatha?n. 

(5) We shall make this a glorious, an immortal day. — Webster. 

(6) His business was carried on remuneratively. 



MELODY. 275 

(7) Famine besieges. He draws his lines round the doomed 
garrison. He cuts off all supplies. He never summons to sur- 
render, for he gives no quarter. — Pre?itiss. 

(8) His course was the outcome of his predisposition to specu- 
lativeness. 



From CLAUDIUS AND CYNTHIA. 

(9) This explained all. The Emperor had demonstrated his 
right to be called the Royal Bowman of the World. 

Had the tyrant been content to rest here, all would have been 
well. 

While yet the beasts were struggling with death he gave orders 
for a shifting of the scenes. He was insatiable. 

For the first time during the ordeal the youth's eyes moved. 
The girl, whose back was turned toward the beasts, was still wait- 
ing for the crushing horror of their assault. — Maurice Thotnpson. 



III. Exercises in Writing Melody. 

The writing of Melody is an admirable drill in the study 
of Pitch, while its practice is a discipline to ear and voice. 
The organs come to respond easily to the notations of 
Melody, and it is something of a revelation to the student 
to discover the course the voice takes in Pitch. It will be 
found difficult at first to follow the movements, but after a 
few exercises one with a reasonably good ear for tone will 
be able to record easily and rapidly the most difficult in- 
flections. By practising such exercises over and over again 
he acquires an easy and varied use of his own voice. 

In writing Melody the following points must be taken 
into consideration: 

1. Give to each separate syllable a note of speech. 

2. Place the first note on the middle line, unless it should 
happen to begin unusually high or low in Pitch as compared 
with the notes immediately following it. In such cases lo- 
cate it accordingly. 



276 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

3. Determine the relative position of each note by that 
of the one immediately preceding it. 

4. Determine the direction of the Concrete, whether it 
be Rising, Falling or Waving. 

5. Let some one who has had some drill in this kind 
of exercise and who can use simple or varied Melody at 
will, begin by uttering the simplest form of Melody — we 
will say in counting — and let the student indicate with 
chalk or pencil the various inflections of the voice, e. g. 

(1) Count in Monotone with Rising slides (except the 
last), thus, 



J J J J J J J J j ^ 



One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. 

(2) Count in Monotone with falling slides, 



^\ °\ °\ — V- ^ — ^ — ^ — ^ — «r 



A 



One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. 

(3) Count in Monotone with alternating slides, 



-&- ^r &- ^ rd- ©r J- ^r J- ^r 



One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. 

(4) Count in Ditones, 



J c/ J J J J d J ct^ 



One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. 



MELODY. 

(5) Count in Ditones with alternating slides, 



277 



J^cf^J^J^ J 



5 



One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, tea. 



(6) Count in Tritones, 

J- — 



J- 



J 



J- 



J 



J- 



■J- 



^r 



^l 



3 



One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. 

(7) Count in alternating Tritones, 



-J 



J- 



^\ 



-J- 



^L 



J- 



°\ c^ J 



5 



One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. 

(8) At this point the leader may take some simple sen- 
tences like the following, the first of which we put to Melody: 



J J d J 



T^ 



j j J j 



J- 



°\ 



a. The form - er she would re - gard as the re - suit of fort - une. 

Webster. 

b. The war, then, must go on. We must fight it thro'. — Ibid. 

c. The cause will raise up armies ; the cause will create navies. 
—Ibid. 

d. I care not how fickle other people have been found. — Ibid. 

e. The Old World stretches out her arms to the new. — Pre?itiss. 

f. The starving parent supplicates the young and vigorous 
child for bread. — Ibid. 

g. The earth has failed to give her increase. — Ibid. 

h. Famine besieges. He draws his lines round the doomed 
garrison. — Ibid. 

i. He never summons to surrender, for he gives no quarter. — 
Ibid. 



278 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



This list of exercises may be extended at the pleasure of the 
student. A very good private practice would be for him to put 
to Melody select passages and submit them to his instructor for 
corrections. This is an invaluable drill for acquiring control over 
the various Degrees and Intervals of Pitch. 

IV. Vocal Culture of Melody. 

Practice is necessary not only to attain an art but also 
to maintain it. The following exercises are designed to 
give smoothness and flexibility of voice and varied Melody 
to speech. 

i. Using the notes of the musical scale severally as bases 
for Concretes, speak the syllable ah up and down through 
the octave. 

2. Sing and speak the following sentences from Patrick 
Henry as indicated below: 




What is it that gen-tle-men wish ? What is it that gen-tlemen wish? 
• Henry. 





5 




/ 


j 


°\ 


(( 


\ j 


J \ 


V 


J 


j 


J - \ 



*L 



What would they have ? 



What would they have? 

Ibid. 



MELODY. 279 

Give the following sentences in a similar manner: 

(1) The gentleman tells us America is obstinate; America is 
almost in open rebellion. — Chatham. 

(2) Would you have me point out the meadow of the birds? — 
Chrysostom. 

(3) Would you wrest the wreath of fame from the hand of fate ? 

3. In the following sentences begin high in Pitch and 
gradually move downward: 

(1) Ah, me ! Ah, me ! those days, those days ! 

(2) How the signboard creaks all day long. 

(3) All gloom, all silence, all despair. 

4. With the syllable la execute the seven Cadences as 
illustrated on page 268. 

5. Read the sentence, "You can't paint sound," in all 
the Cadences except the Tetrad and Pentad. 



CHAPTER IV. — TIME. 
I. DEFINITION AND DIVISIONS. 

Time is the duration of utterance. It relates to the 
length of vocal sounds and syllables, the rests which 
occur at intervals between them, and the measure and 
rate with which they are uttered. Its subdivisions are : 
Quantity, Pause, and Movement. 

Briefly defined, Quantity is the length of time given to 
the utterance of sounds and syllables; Pause is the cessa- 
tion of utterance between sounds and syllables; and Move- 
ment is the degree of rapidity or slowness and the measure 
of vocal impulses given to successive sounds and syllables. 

II. ADAPTATION TO THE TRIUNE NATURE. 

A further analysis of Time shows it to be a generic vocal 
element conformable to man's Triune Nature, and conse- 
quently it is essential to expression. Observe the following 
analogy: — 

,JI. Mental Pause „ 

MAN ^.^r^ll JII. Emotiv.e. Quantity. Tll^^. TIME 

(as a Psychic^ „ ^-fa. generic vo- 

Being) ^^ ^^ .Movements' cal elemeDt > 



The cry of a child in long Quantity expresses his Emo- 
tion aroused by some irritating influence which he cannot 
control; when he shapes this vocal stream into speech, by 
means of numerous little Pauses or joints of articulation, 
Mentality is added and we know why he cries; and by the 
rapid or slow Movement of the impulses of his voice we 
detect the Vitality with which his body responds to the 
moving cause of his crying. 



QUANTITY. 28l 

A groan of sorrow is in Long Quantity, while the ringing 
laughter of joy is made up of impulses in Short Quantity; 
here Quantity responds especially to the Emotive nature. 

Pauses divide spoken language into words and groups 
of words embodying the ideas, making them clear to the 
understanding; hence Pause corresponds to the Mental 
nature. 

Man " keeps time " to music, walks slowly in meditation 
or feebleness, and runs in excitement; these are physical 
manifestations dependent upon vital conditions and measured 
by Movement, which manifestly belongs to the Vital nature. 

The further differentiation of these subdivisions of Time 
will be shown in their individual treatment in the following 
sections: 



SECTION L — QUANTITY. 

Quantity is the Time spent in the utterance of individ- 
ual sounds and syllables. 

I. Intrinsic Time-Value of Sounds. 

In order that we may best understand the time-value of 
words in vocal expression, let us look into their construc- 
tion and see if there is not a Quantity that every English 
sound and syllable has in itself. Some letters are by nature 
and of necessity longer than others. It is an ignorance of 
the time-value of words that causes many persons uncon- 
sciously to fall into the habit of drawling. Others, on the 
contrary, make use of a curt, snappy utterance that is quite 
as disagreeable. Now it is not sufficient to tell the student 
not to "drawl." He must know why he drawls and how to 
correct it. When he has learned the intrinsic time-value 
of the syllable he can correct his own faults of Quantity. 



282 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Because of its importance in connection with Quantity, 
we wish to treat more fully the Intrinsic Time-Value of 
Sounds and Syllables already referred to pp. 46 and 65. 
English sounds, when examined as to their Quantity, without 
regard to expression, will be found to belong to one of two 
classes : Stopt or Continuant. 

1 . Stopt Sounds. 

Stopt sounds are such as cannot be held profitably for 
any considerable length of time, i.e., it is not in good taste 
or agreeable to the ear to prolong them. It is physically 
impossible to do so without drawling them. The student is 
advised here to review carefully the table of English Quan- 
tities (p. 46). 

The sounds of S and sh, although of this class, may be 
excepted occasionally for purposes of expression, e.g. when 
S is used in the hiss, and sh in the injunction to silence, or 
when they are used onomatopoetically in such words as 
hist, silence, hush, or crash, in which these sounds are inti- 
mately associated with the sense and become particularly 
expressive, they may be prolonged to advantage. 

It must not be understood that all Stopt letters are mere 
points of sound incapable of prolongation. They are 
capable of slight duration, but are not all of the same 
length, e.g., the sounds of b, d, g and j are longer than p, 
t and k, but not sufficiently long to be called Continuants. 
Any but a slight prolongation of such sounds would be very 
much out of taste. 

2. Continuant Sou7ids. 

Continuant sounds are such as can be prolonged to 
advantage. The student is referred, as before, to the table 
of English Quantities (p. 46). These sounds, being such 
as by nature cannot be properly produced without being 
prolonged, are found invaluable to the reader in expressing 
the beauties of poetry. 






QUANTITY. 283 

II. Intrinsic Time-Value of Syllables. 

Syllables are necessarily of different lengths as are the 
elements that compose them. Their capacity for Quantity 
is dependent upon their construction. There are three 
classes of syllables : Indefinite, Mutable, and Immutable. 

1 . hidefinite Syllables. 

Indefinite syllables, as the word indicates, are such as 
may be prolonged to the fullest extent of Quantity. Al- 
though intrinsically long they may be pronounced quickly 
in expression, or prolonged at will. The opportunity for 
extended Quantity in Indefinites, however, should not be 
exaggerated but allowed always to stop short of a drawl. 
Indefinites are composed wholly of Continuant sounds, e.g., 
roll, maim, vale, eve, roar, long, all. 

2. Mutable Syllables. 

Mutable syllables, as the word indicates, are such as 
are changeable in Quantity. They are composed of a com- 
bination of Stopt and Continuant sounds, e.g., let, spoke, 
mart, board, black, boat. Mutable syllables are not only 
variable in Quantity separately, by pronunciation, under dif- 
ferent passions, but are variable intrinsically as compared 
one with another. The words let and tell, for instance, are 
equally valuable in Quantity, the one being long at its open- 
ing, the other at its close; mart is composed of three con- 
tinuants, m, a, r, and one Stopt letter, t. This makes the 
syllable a very long Mutable; spoke, on the other hand, has 
three Stopts, S, p, k, and one Continuant, 0, making it a 
very short Mutable. All of these syllables are capable of 
Quantity, the degree of prolongation depe?iding upon the number 
of Continuants in each. The more Stopt letters, the more 
nearly does the syllable approach an Immutable; the more 



284 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Continuants, the nearer approach to an Indefinite syllable, 
and, therefore, the better capable is it of Quantity. 

The Mutables far outnumber the Indefinites or Immu- 
tables. 

3. Immutable Syllables. 

Immutable syllables are such as, owing to their form- 
ation, cannot be prolonged to advantage. They are com- 
posed of Stopt sounds only, e.g., at, quick, bed, stop, hip, 
spot, back, pretty. As the word indicates, they are unchange- 
able in Quantity, always short, This does not imply that 
all Immutable syllables are of precisely the same length; 
that depends upon* the letters that compose them. As they 
admit of but slight Quantity, any attempt to prolong them 
would produce the drawl. They are, however, of great 
expressional value when used in conjunction with Explo- 
sive Form and its associated elements. 

It is very common in reading and speaking for people to 
violate Quantity. // is not necessary because soimds have the 
same diacritical marks to pronounce them precisely alike. Dot 
and dog have the same mark and are both Immutable syl- 
lables, but are not of equal value in Quantity, because g is 
longer than /. A Continuant sound is more valuable at the 
beginning or end of a syllable than when hedged in by two 
Stopts. The i7itri?isic Quantity of a syllable depends upon its 
constituent soimds and their relative position. 

As a practical exercise the student may select some paragraph 
and indicate the class to which each syllable belongs. 

III. Quantity as a Vocal Element. 

Dr. Rush says that "a judicious use of the variations of 
Quantity is the very life of Elocution." We have already 
shown the value of syllables in themselves; we shall now 
explain them in their relation to the various styles of thought 
to be expressed. Quantity as a vocal element has to do 



QUANTITY. 285 

with the expression of sentiment and emotion. It is the 

especial agent of the Emotive nature, and is so ranked in 
our classification. The variations of light and shade in 
Time, the delicate attenuations of tone to express the dif- 
ferent shades of feeling ; the prolonging of this tone to 
express gloom, the clipping of that one to express impatience; 
the placid flow of tone in the expression of tranquility, and 
the sprightly utterance of gayety, are beauties of utterance 
produced by the right use of Quantity. The toll of the 
funeral bell, the moan of the wind, the long drawn notes of 
the dove excite in us solemnity and pathos ; the ringing laugh 
and the clapping of hands excite altogether different feelings. 
These are natural expressions of feeling and passion. . They 
excite in the human mind like feelings and require from us 
the same elements to express them. All emotions have 
their corresponding Quantities, and we must not rob them 
of their true meaning by dissociating the thought from its 
appropriate Quantity. 

Some speakers violate this principle by attempting to secure 
long Quantities by longer and more frequent Pauses, paying little 
or no attention to the words themselves. This is injudicious 
compensation and becomes offensive to the cultivated ear, for the 
opportunities for graceful and natural effects in intonation have 
been thrown away. 

The divisions of Quantity are Long, Medium and Short. 

IV. Analogy Between Form, Quantity, and Intrinsic 
Time-Values. 

Quantity is a specific division of the generic element, 
Time. Its subdivisions — Long, Medium and Short — mark 
simply the degrees of Quantity, and we must find their re- 
sponse to the triune nature through their correspondence 
with some other element (see p. 86). To show this corre- 
spondence let us note briefly the intimate relation existing 



286 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



between Form and Quantity and the intrinsic Time-values of 
syllables in the following diagram: 



Form. 



Quantity. 



Time-Value of 
Syllables. 



Effusive 


Long 


Indefinite 


Expulsive 


Medium 


Mutable 


Explosive 


Short 


Immutable 



In a previous chapter (p. 114) we have illustrated the 
three Forms, shown their correspondence to the Mental, 
Emotive, and Vital natures of man, and explained their use 
in Nature and expression. When a sentiment requires 
Effusive Form, the Quantity is generally (not always) Long 
and the syllables are mostly Indefinite or Mutable ; when 
the sentiment requires Expulsive Form, the Quantity is 
usually Medium and the syllables may be Indefinite, 
Mutable, or Immutable, but they must be pronounced 
quickly; when we use Explosive Form, the Quantity is 
generally short and the syllables, if not intrinsically short, 
must be made so by pronunciation. 



1. Lo?ig Quantity. 
(1) Use in Expression. 

Long Quantity, then, is used to express the same sen- 
timents and emotions as is the Effusive Form, viz., pathos, 
solemnity, sorrow, sublimity, awe, reverence, adoration; and 
with Expulsive Form, apostrophe, commanding, and calli?ig. 

That writer is the most skillful who chooses Indefinite 
syllables to express these sentiments. If Indefinites are 
not available, then long Mutables are next most fitting. 
Certain it is that the fewer Immutables there are the better 
is the language adapted to the sentiment. 

In delivering passages that require Long Quantity the 
student should first seek out the words that embody the senti- 



QUANTITY. 287 

me?it, look in those words for the Indefinite sounds and syllables ; 
and on these sowids and syllables execute Long Quantity. In 
deliberate utterance of grand and dignified discourse the In- 
definite and Mutable syllables should be duly prolonged to 
give character to expression. Any attempt to prolong 
Immutable syllables will result in a drawl. 

(2) Illustrative Selections. 

From A SCRAP-BOOK. 

Far away through all the autumn, 

In a lonely, lonely glade 

In a dreary desolation 

That the battle-storm has made, 

With the rust upon his musket, 

In the eve and in the morn, 

In the rank gloom of the fern-leaves 

Lies her noble, brave first-born. 

Anon. 

From THE FAMINE. 

O, the famine and the fever ! 

O, the wasting of the famine ! 

O, the blasting of the fever ! 

O, the wailing of the children ! 

O, the anguish of the women ! 

All the earth was sick and famish'd ; 

Hungry was the air around them, 

Hungry was the sky above them, 

And the hungry stars in heaven 

Like the eyes of wolves glared at them. 

Longfellow. 

From CLAUDIUS AND CYNTHIA. 

The Emperor arose and in a loud voice said : " Behold the con- 
demned Claudius, and Cynthia whom he lately took for his wife. 
They are condemned for the great folly of Claudius, that the 
Roman people may know that Commodus reigns supreme. The 



288 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

crime for which they are to die is a great one. Claudius has pub- 
licly proclaimed that he is a better archer than I, Commodus, am. 
I am the Emperor and the incomparable archer of Rome : who- 
ever disputes it dies, and his wife dies with him. It is decreed." 
— Maurice Thoinftson. 

2. Medium Quantity. 
(i) Use in Expression. 

The Medium Quantity is generally used with Expulsive 
Form and is heard in the expression of those sentiments 
in which the mind is not agitated by any strong emotion or 
unusual restraint, viz., narration, description, didactic, bold and 
lofty thought, introductions to orations, patriotis?7i and courage. 
Mutable syllables are most appropriate to these styles 
of thought. To give full value in time to the Indefinites 
used would be out of harmony with the quieter states of 
mind They are consequently pronounced more quickly 
than in solemnity or pathos. 

The Medium Quantity, as the word implies, is interme- 
diate between the Long and the Short, and occurs so much 
more frequently than the others that it may be said to be 
the rule and they the exception. 

(2) Illustrative Selections. 
From DESTRUCTION OF POMPEII. 

The cloud, which had scattered so deep a murkiness over the 
day, had now settled into a solid and impenetrable mass. It re- 
sembled less even the thickest gloom of a night in the open air 
than the close and blind darkness of some narrow room. But, 
in proportion as the blackness gathered, did the lightnings around 
Vesuvius increase in their vivid and scorching glare. Nor was 
their horrible beauty confined to the usual hues of fire ; no rain- 
bow ever rivalled their varying and prodigal dyes. Now brightly 
blue as the most azure depth of a southern sky, — now of a livid 
and snake-like green, darting restlessly to and fro as the folds of 



QUANTITY. 289 

an enormous serpent, — now of a lurid and intolerable crimson, 
gushing forth through the columns of smoke, far and wide, and 
lighting up the whole city from arch to arch, — then suddenly 
dying into a sickly paleness, like the ghost of their own life. — 
Bulwer-Lytton. 

From DIVINE PROVIDENCE IN NATURE. 

Contemplate with me the beauty of the sky; how it has been 
preserved so long without being dimmed; and remains as bright 
and clear as if it had been fabricated to-day; moreover, the power 
of the Earth, how it has not become effete by bringing forth 
during so long a time ! Contemplate with me the fountains; how 
they burst forth and fail not, since the time they were begotten, 
to flow forth continually throughout the day and night ! Con- 
template with me the sea, receiving so many rivers, yet never 
exceeding its measure ! But how long might we continue to 
pursue things incomprehensible ! It is fit, indeed, that, over every 
one of these which have been spoken of, we should say, " O Lord, 
how hast Thou magnified Thy Works ! in wisdom hast Thou 
made them all." — Chrysosto?n. 

From PATRIOTISM. 

Breathes there the man, with soul so dead, 
Who never to himself hath said, 

This is my own, my native land L 
Whose heart hath ne'er within him burn'd, 
As home his footsteps he hath turn'd, 

From wandering on a foreign strand ! 
If such there breathe, go, mark him well; 
For him no minstrel raptures swell; 
High though his titles, proud his name; 
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim; 
Despite those titles, power, and pelf, 
The wretch, concentred all in self, 
Living, shall forfeit fair renown, 
And, doubly dying, shall go down 
To the vile dust, from whence he sprung, 
Unwept, unhonored, and unsung. 

Scott. 



29O PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

3. Short Quantity. 
(1) Use in Expression. 

Short Quantity is inseparable from Expulsive or Explo- 
sive Forms, and is appropriately used to express joy, mirth, 
laughter, exciting appeal, impatience, detestation, fright, anger 
and contempt. 

The Intrinsic Quantities best adapted to abrupt and 
excited speech are Immutable and short Mutable syllables. 
The Indefinite and long Mutables can, however, in ex- 
pression be pronounced with abruptness so as not to mar 
the effect. Let the student as before seek out the special 
words that best embody the thought, pronounce them abruptly, 
and their expression will give color to the entire passage. 
The following extracts are to be read with strong force and 
abruptness on the expressive syllables. Any attempt to 
prolong the Quantities would greatly weaken the effect. 

(2) Illustrative Selections. 
From L' ALLEGRO. 

Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee 
Jest and youthful Jollity, 
Quips, and cranks, and wanton wiles, 
Nods, and becks, and wreathed smiles, 
Such as hang on Hebe's cheek, 
And love to live in dimple sleek; 
Sport that wrinkled care derides, 
And Laughter holding both his sides. 
Come, and trip it as you go 
On the light fantastic toe. 

Mil to 71. 

From LOCRTEL'S WARHIKG. 

False wizard, avaunt ! I have marshall'd my clan, 
Their swords are a thousand, — their bosoms are one ! 
They are true to the last of their blood and their breath, 
And like reapers descend to the harvest of death. 



QUANTITY. 29I 

Then welcome be Cumberland's steed to the shock, 
Let him dash his proud foam like a wave on the rock ! 
But woe to his kindred, and woe to his cause, 
When Albion her claymore indignantly draws ! 

Campbell. 

From KING HENRY IV. Part I, Act 4, Scene 1. 

No more, no more : worse than the sun in March, 

This praise doth nourish agues. Let them come; 

They come like sacrifices in their trim, 

And to the fire-eyed maid of smoky war, 

All hot and bleeding, will we offer them: 

The mailed Mars shall on his altar sit 

Up to the ears in blood. I am on fire 

To hear this rich reprisal is so nigh, 

And yet not ours. — Come, let me take my horse, 

Who is to bear me, like a thunderbolt, 

Against the bosom of the Prince of Wales: 

Harry and Harry shall, hot horse to horse, 

Meet, and ne'er part till one drop down a corse. 

Shakespeare. 

V. Vocal Culture of Quantity. 

The following exercises are designed to give ease in the 
execution of all degrees of Quantity: 

1. Give the Continuant sounds a, e, I, 6, u, oi, ou; 1, 
m, n, ng ; and r, v, z, with a pure Quality of voice pro- 
longing each letter as much as possible without drawling it. 

2. Give the Stopt letters a, e, i, o, u, f, k, p, t, s in the 
shortest Quantity consistent with distinctness. 

3. Practice the swell of the voice in notes of song on 
the Continuant sounds e, a, a, 6, 1, m, n, ng, attenuating 
the sound toward the close until it gradually "knits with 
silence" (p. 161). 

4. Pronounce distinctly with the longest consistent Quan- 
tity the following words: toll, true, march, catch, ah, beat, 
arm, mart, botch, blood, love, home, hut, mother. 



292 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

5. Practice the following sentences in their appropriate 
Quantities : 

(1) Move on, thou arm of law. 

(2) Pick it up quick, Jack. 

(3) Let them try him. 

(4) And he rolls, rolls, rolls, rolls a pean from the bells. — Poe. 

(5) How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle in the icy air of night. — 
Ibid. 

(6) Voices come at night recalling 

Years and years ago. /. F. Waller. 

(7) Back to thy punishment, false fugitive. — Milton. 

(8) How it tolls for the souls of the sailors on the sea. — 
Aldrich. 

(9) Be ready, Gods, with all your thunderbolts, dash him to 
pieces. — Shakespeare. 

(10) And every word its ardor flung 
From off its jubilant iron tongue, 

Was » War ! War ! War ! " T. B. Read. 

(11) Swung by Seraphim, whose faint foot-falls tinkled on the 
tufted floor. — Poe. 

(12) Cheerily calling, " Co', boss ! co', boss ! co' ! co' ! co'! " 
Further, further over the hill, 

Faintly calling, calling still, — 

" Co', boss ! co', boss ! co' ! co' ! " 



SECTION II. — PAUSE. 

A Pause is the Time spent between the impulses of 
the voice in the utterance of sounds, syllables or words. 

This Time may be a silence caused by a complete cessa- 
tion of vibration, or it may be filled with a stream of sound 
attenuated until the word following is begun. A Pause, 
then, does not always mean a complete stoppage. The 
euphony of language very often requires the rhythmic flow 



PAUSE. 293 

of sound, while the Mental necessities must be met by the 
dividing influence of Pauses. 

Pause as an element of expression has its foundation 
in the physical necessities of voice production, and in the 
mental requirements of spoken language. 

I. Physical Necessity. 

The physical necessity is obvious in the fact that the 
exhalations of breath in vocalization must have correspond- 
ing inhalations of air. For each expenditure of vital energy 
there must be a corresponding relaxation and recuperation 
of muscle and organ; we have seen (p. 37) that voice pro- 
duction is a physical function dependent upon the action 
of the vocal and respiratory muscles; hence the relaxations 
of the vocal muscles which produce Pauses in speech are 
a physical necessity. 

II. Mental Requirements. 

The mental necessity for pausing arises from the con- 
struction of spoken language.. A word being the sign of an 
idea, a single word or a group of words is necessary to the 
expression of a complete idea. The mind comprehends ideas 
only as they are presented singly and separately, no matter 
how rapidly they may be given. By means of Elocution 
we express ideas; then the Pause which divides spoken 
language into such parts as will make the ideas intelli- 
gible is no less a principle of expression in Elocution 
than the Quality, Force or Pitch in which the words are 
uttered. 

There are also short Pauses between all the syllabic 
impulses, but these need not be noted in speech; the 
only Pauses here considered are the longer cessations 
which have their value in expression. The length of 
these cessations must be determined by the taste of the 
speaker. 



294 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

III. Law of Use. 

We have seen that Pause belongs to the distinctive 
Mental division of Time. Then the application of Pauses 
must depend upon this fundamental law: Words necessary 
to convey each idea of a sentence must be grouped to- 
gether and separated from adjacent groups by Pauses. 

In the sentence, "John went to town *i bought a new 
hat 1 and returned home," there are three distinct ideas 
which are separated by rests. In this sentence some gram- 
marians would place commas where the rests appear, while 
others would use the comma only after the word "town." 

Note two other illustrations: 

The gambler *1 came 1 at last, 1 but all was o'er ; *l 
Dread silence 1 reigned 1 around: 1 the clock 1 struck four. 

Coates. 

There is no doubt *1 that the perception of beauty *l becomes 
more exquisite *1 by being studied *1 and refined. *1 — Anon. 

The above sentences, punctuated grammatically by the 
usual marks and rhetorically by the rests, show more of the 
latter than the former. In fact the last sentence has no 
grammatical Pause except the jperiod at the close. Then 
spoken language requires more Pauses than written language. 
This is due to the recognized fact that the eye is quicker than 
the ear, and the latter requires the assistance of a greater 
number of Pauses. Furthermore, there is sometimes a 
conflict between the grammatical and the Rhetorical Pause, 
as in the following: 

She half enclosed me with her arms, *1 

She pressed me *1 with a meek embrace; 1 

And, bending back her head, 1 look'd up, *1 
And gazed upon my face. 

Coleridge. 



PAUSE. 



295 



When the child went to his solitary bed, 1 he dreamed *1 about 
the star; *1 and dreamed *1 that, lying where he was, *1 he saw a 
train of people *1 taken up that sparkling road *1 by angels. *1 — 
Dickens. 

In expression there is evidently no Pause after " and " in 
the first, or "that" in the second sentence. The fact that 
the ear may have become accustomed to such a pausing- 
place from the habit of following grammatical Pauses only, 
is no reason for its use in reading aloud or speaking. 

Conformable to this general law regarding the grouping of 
ideas, we have constructed the following diagram showing 
the places where Rhetorical Pauses should be used. The 
student should study and apply these until correct pausing 
becomes a habit. 

Pauses should be made : 





' 1. 


Relative Pronouns. 


Before < 


2. 
3- 

4- 

* 5- 


Conjunctions (conditionally). 
Adjectives and Adverbs following 

modify. 
Infinitive Phrases (conditionally). 
Prepositional Phrases (conditionally). 


f 1 * 


Words of a Series. 


Between -=! 2. 


Words to mark an Ellipsis. 


1 


I 3. 


Clauses. 



the words they 



After 



1. Emphatic Words (conditionally). 

2. Words or Phrases used Independently. 

3. Nominative Phrases. 

4. Intransitive Verbs (conditionally). 



Before 

and 

After 



1 . Any word or group of words expressing strong Emotion. 

2. Transposed Words and Phrases. 

3. Words or Phrases used in Apposition. 

4. Direct Quotations. 

5. Parenthetical Expressions. 



296 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

IV. Explanation and Illustrations. 

Only those Pauses which illustrate the particular case under consideration 
will be marked in the following sentences : 

i . Before. 

(1) Before Relative Pronouns. 

The relative pronouns who, which, what, and that, in 
their variations of number and case, introduce new ideas 
in a sentence and consequently should have Pauses before 
them. 

Who. He laughs best 1 who laughs last. — Anon. 

I am the man 1 whose hat you took. — Anon. 

He did not state 1 whom he wished to see. — Anon. 

Which. Orlando. What were his marks? 

Rosalind. A lean cheek, *i which you have not ; a blue eye, 
and sunken, *1 which you have not ; an unquestionable spirit, 1 
which you have not ; a beard neglected, 1 which you have not : — 
but I pardon you for that ; for simply your having in beard is a 
younger brother's revenue. 

Shakespeare. 

What. I wish to know *| what there has been in the conduct 
of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those 
hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace them- 
selves and the house. — Henry. 

That. Well know we what it was 1 that brought the head 
Of Anna Boleyn to the fatal block. 



Schiller. 



(2) Before Conjunctions (conditionally). 



Whenever a conjunction is used conditionally or " dis- 
junctively" there should be a Pause before it. These 
conjunctions invariably introduce new ideas. 

Though he slay me, *1 yet will I trust in him ; "| but I will main- 
tain mine own ways before him. — Job xiii : 15. 



PAUSE. 297 

We heard *| but refused the petition. — Anon. 

Neither hath this man sinned *1 nor his parents. — St. JoJui 
ix : 3. 

The voyage of his life becomes a joyous peril ; and in the midst 
of all ambition can achieve *1 or avarice amass, *1 or rapacity 
plunder, he tosses on the surge, a buoyant pestilence. — Charles 
Phillips. 

Exception : When the conjunction joins two words which 
together make one idea there should be no Pause before it. 

He is not so tall as you are. — Anon. 

" Nay, now, my child," said Alice the nurse, 
" But keep the secret for your life, 
And all you have will be Lord Ronald's, 
When you are man and wife." 

Tennyson. 

In these sentences, "tall as you" and "man and wife" 
represent each one idea. 

(3) Before Adjectives and Adverbs. 

These are the modifying parts of speech, and whenever 
they follow the words modified a Pause should precede 
them. 

Adjectives. They had cheeks like cherries 1 red ; 
He was taller, *1 most a head. 

Josie R. Hu?it. 



Over the odorous fields were strown 
Wilting windrows of grass *| new-mown. 



Anon. 



Adverbs. The work was done *1 neatly, *| quickly 1 and well. — 
Ano?i. 

Some of them slept like Christian men and women, *1 peace- 
fully, *1 sweetly, *1 and quietly. Others slept like demons, *1 
malignantly, *1 hideously, 1 fiendishly, as though it was their 
mission to keep everybody else awake. — Robert J. Burdette. 



298 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(4) Before Infinitive Phrases (conditionally). 

The sign of the root-infinitive is to, though it is some- 
times omitted by ellipsis, in which case its influence would 
place the Pauses before the conjunctive word preceding it. 

It takes nerve 1 to bear suffering. — Anon. 

It is noble *1 to say little *1 and (to) perform much. — Anon. 

As well yield at once *1 as (to) struggle vainly. — Anon. 

Whether 'tis nobler in the mind 1 to suffer 
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, *1 
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, 
And by opposing 1 (to) end them ? 

Exception : There should be no Pause before an infini- 
tive phrase when it is the object of a verb, e.g., " He wants 
to live a century"; " she loves to talk." 

(5) Before Prepositional Phrases (conditionally). 

Pause before a prepositional phrase when it introduces an 
additional idea. 

Little time remained *1 for such reflections as mignt have arisen. 
— Thompson. 

And the Sun-set paled and warmed once more *1 

With a softer, tenderer after-glow; *1 
In the east was moonrise *1 with boats off-shore 

And sails *1 in the distance drifting slow. 

Whittier. 

I am willing to go home *1 to Ashland and renounce public 
service forever. I should there find *1 in its groves, *1 under its 
shades, 1 on its lawns, *1 mid my flocks and herds, *1 in the bosom 
of my family, sincerity and truth, attachment and fidelity and 
gratitude, which I have not always found *1 in the walks of public 
life. — Clay. 



PAUSE. 299 

Exception: When a preposition does not introduce a 
new idea, but is embodied in the idea, there should be no 
pause before it. " Please give me a glass of water." 

The foremost tiger while yet in mid-air, curled itself up *1 with 
a gurgling cry of utter pain, *1 and with the blood gushing *| from 
its eyes, ears and mouth, fell heavily down dying. — Thompson. 

The prepositions in and of in the italicized words of the 
last sentence are embodied in the ideas, while the preposi- 
tions with and from introduce new ideas and require Pauses 
before them. 

2. Between. 

(1) Between Words of a Series. 

Whenever a series of two or more words of the same 
Part of Speech are used in the same sentence there should 
be Pauses between them. These Pauses do not merely 
mark the ellipsis of the conjunction, as some grammarians 
have held. In the following sentence the conjunction and 
takes no more time in utterance than would be given the 
line with that word omitted. 

Nouns. Wholly happy they only knew 

That the earth was bright and the sky was blue; 
That light *| and beauty *1 and joy *1 and song 
Charmed the way as they passed along. 

Anon. 

Verbs. We will be revenged; revenge, *1 about, 1 seek,*1 burn, 
*1 fire,*] kill,*| slay, — let not a traitor live ! — Shak. 

Adjectives. Sweet Mary, pledged to Tom, was fair *1 
And graceful *] young 1 and slim. 

Fanny Foster. 

Adverbs. He acted intelligently,*! prudently *1 and bravely. — 
Anon. 



300 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(2) Between Words to Mark an Ellipsis. 

This applies not only to elliptical words of the various 
parts of speech, but also to phrases which are omitted and 
understood. 

As our will *1 so would thine own *i be. — Halm. 

I came here to speak, you *1 to listen. — Anon. 

And besides this, giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; 
and to virtue, *1 knowledge; and to knowledge, 1 temperance; and 
to temperance, *1 patience; and to patience, *1 godliness; and to 
godliness, *1 brotherly kindness ; and to brotherly kindness, *1 charity. 
— II, Peter, i: 5, 6, 7. 

(3) Between Clauses. 

This is self-evident, as each clause must contain a separate 
idea. 

Thus the child came to be an old man, *1 and his once smooth 
face was wrinkled *i and his steps were slow and feeble, *1 and 
his back was bent. And he said " My age is falling from me like 
a garment, 1 and I move towards the star as a child." — Dicke?is. 

3. After. 

(1) After Emphatic Words (conditionally). 

Strongly emphatic words usually require Pauses after 
them, that their meaning may be more vividly impressed; 
but in this, as in all other Pauses, the length must be 
regulated by the taste and judgment of the speaker. 

This Emphasis at times may even separate the word into its 
syllables, making what is commonly called an " Intersyllabic " 
Pause; this, however, is but an emphatic Pause, since the Em- 
phasis alone causes the separation of syllables. We have seen 
(p. 298) that the influence of a pausing-place may sometimes over- 
step an intervening word ; so it may also extend through a syllable 
for the purpose of articulative enforcement in Emphasis. 






PAUSE. 30I 

Furthermore, it will be seen that the Pause for Emphasis cor- 
responds exactly with the rhetorical sense, since it is the rhetori- 
cal sense which makes the Emphasis. 

None ever knew a lovelier *i boy or a more truthful 1 son. — 
Anon. 

I dare *1 accusation, I defy *1 the honorable gentleman; I defy 
*1 the government; 1 I defy the whole phalanx; "1 let them come 
forth. — Grattan. 

Lady M. What beast *1 was't, then, 
That made you break *1 this enterprise to me ? 
When you durst *1 do it, then you were a man; *1 
And, to be more than what you were, *1 you would 
Be so much more *1 the man. Nor time nor place *1 
Did then adhere, and yet you would make both: *i 
They've made *1 themselves *|, and that their fitness *1 now 
Does unmake *1 you. 

Shakespeare. 

(Intersyllabic Emphatic.) 

Brutus. The name of Cassius honors this corruption, 

And chastisement doth therefore hide his he?d. 
Cassius. Chas *1 tisement ! 

Shakespeare. 

Exception : Also for obvious reasons a word may be 
moderately emphatic without taking a Pause after it. 

This is a beautiful day. — Anon. 

The word beautiful is emphatic, but not strongly so, and 
hence takes no pause. 



(2) After Words and Phrases Used Independently. 

It must be so, — Plato, *1 thou reasonest well ! — Addison. 
Thy rod and Thy staff 1 they comfort me. — Psqlm xxiii, 4. 



302 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(3) After Nominative Phrases. 

To lead a successful life 1 is a laudable ambition. — Anon. 
That crayon picture of my beloved brother 1 is one of my most 
cherished household treasures. 

(4) After Intransitive Verbs (conditionally). 

When an Intransitive verb is followed closely by a noun 
of kindred significance there should be a Pause after it . 

He lived *| a beautiful life, and died 1 a noble death. — Anon. 

And Joseph dreamed *1 a dream, and he told it his brethren ; 
and they hated him yet the more. — Geji. vii, 5. 

4. Before and After. 
(1) Before and After Emotional Words. 

There should be Pauses before and after any word or 
group of words expressing very strong emotion. The first 
Pause arrests the attention and prepares the audience for 
the emotion ; and the Pause after allows them time to 
reflect upon it. Though the length of the Pause is optional 
with the speaker the student is reminded that these are the 
longest Pauses in expression. 

Writers on Elocution have universally treated the " Emotional " 
Pause separately and distinctly, contrasting it with the Rhetorical 
Pause, thus implying a conflict between sentiment and sense. 
This, it seems to us, is altogether out of harmony with the purpose 
of Elocution, for whenever sentiment loses the guiding and regula- 
ting influence of sense it becomes mouthing rather than correct 
expression. 

A closer study reveals the fact that strong emotion over-rides 
mere grammatical punctuation marks, and gives, in its own groups 
of words, the ideas embodied in the emotion. Even in the 
incoherent sobbing of a child which is the most exaggerated 
breaking up of rhetorical language, the mother never fails to 



PAUSE. 303 

interpret the ideas expressed in words and sobs uttered between 
the emotional Pauses. Certainly the idea and emotion are more 
intimately associated in the passionate words of oratoric and 
dramatic utterance. 

Upon the whole, I beg leave to tell the House what is really 
my opinion. It is, that the Stamp Act be repealed, 1 absolutely, 
*1 totally, 1 and immediately. — Chatham. 

Where should Othello go ? *1 
Now, *1 how dost thou look now ?1 O ill-starr'd wench *1 
Pale as thy smock ! 1 when we shall meet at compt, 
This look of thine will hurl my soul from Heaven, 
And fiends will snatch at it. 1 Cold, 1 cold, *1 my girl «1 
Even like thy Chastity. 

Shakespeare. 

(2) Before and After Transposed Words and Phrases. 

I am now what most folks 1 well-to-do *1 would call. — Carleton. 

She listened to his words with joy for 1 love *| they meant to 
her. — Anon. 

Our sportive wight *1 his usual visit 1 paid, 

And the next night 1 came forth 1 a prattling maid, 

Whose tongue, indeed, *1 than any Jack *1 went faster ; 

Anxious, she strove 1 his errand 1 to inquire, 

He said 'twas vain *1 her pretty tongue 1 to tire, 

He should not stir till he had seen her master. 

Anon. 

(3) Before and After Words or Phrases used in Apposition. 

Allow me to introduce my friend *1 Cassius Carter *1 of Cali- 
fornia. — A non. 

Washington *| the commander of the American forces *l re- 
ceived his commission under this elm tree. — Anon. 



(4) Before and After Direct Quotations. 
She said, *1 "O, God protect my child," 1 and died. — Anon. 



304 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

The tide flowed in, and rising to her knees, 

She sang the psalm, 1 " To Thee, I lift my soul"; 1 

The tide flowed in, and rising to her waist, 1 

" To Thee, my God, I lift my soul," *1 she sang. 

The tide flowed in, and rising to her throat, 

She sang no more. . 

b Anon. 

(5) Before and After Parenthetical Expressions. 

Abou Ben Adhem, *| may his tribe increase, *| 
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace, 
And saw, within the moonlight in his room, *1 
Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom, "| 
An angel, writing in a book of gold. 

Leigh Hunt. 

The slight cessation of voice known as "Prosodial" Pause, 
used at the end of lines of poetry, and to mark the measure or 
"prosody" of verse, will be fully treated in a subsequent section 
on Rhythm. It should not be used, however, except in highly 
poetic or metrical language. Also the treatment of the " Caesural " 
Pause, which is a metrical break in the middle of a foot in verse, 
will be found in the same section. 

5. Selections for Phrasing. 
We subjoin two unmarked selections as a study in Pauses. 
The process of indicating the Rhetorical Pauses in a selec- 
tion is called Phrasing. In phrasing any selection the 
student will frequently find several reasons for the same 
Pause ; and, naturally enough, the markings of a number 
of students will vary somewhat according to the different 
conceptions of the lines. 

From PICTURES OF MEMORY. 

Among the beautiful pictures, 

That hang on Memory's wall, 
Is one of a dim old forest, 

That seemeth best of all. 
Not for its gnarl'd oaks olden, 

Dark with the mistletoe; 



PAUSE. 305 

Not for the violets golden 

That sprinkle the vale below; 
Not for the milk-white lilies 

That lean from the fragrant ledge, 
Coquetting all day with the sunbeams, 

And stealing their golden edge; 
Not for the vines on the upland 

Where the bright red berries rest, 
Nor the pinks, nor the pale, sweet cowslip, 

It seemeth to me the best. 

I once had a little brother 

With eyes that were dark and deep; 
In the lap of that dim old forest, 

He lieth in peace asleep. 
Light as the down of the thistle, 

Free as the -winds that blow, 
We roved there, the beautiful summers, 

The summers of long ago; 
But his feet on the hills grew weary, 

And, one of the autumn eves, 
I made for my little brother 

A bed of the yellow leaves. 

Sweetly his pale arms folded 

My neck in a meek embrace, 
As the light of immortal beauty 

Silently cover 'd his face; 
And when the arrows of sunset 

Lodged in the tree-tops bright, 
He fell, in his saint-like beauty, 

Asleep by the gates of light. 

Therefore, of all the pictures 

That hang on Memory's wall, 
The one of the dim old forest 

Seemeth the best of all. 

Alice Cary. 



306 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



From CLAUDIUS AND CYNTHIA. 

It was in the mid-splendor of the reign of the Emperor 
Commodus. Especially desirous of being accounted the best 
swordsman and the most fearless gladiator of Rome, he still 
better enjoyed the reputation of being the incomparable archer. 
No one had ever been able to compete with him. His success 
had rendered him a monomaniac on the subject of archery, af- 
fecting him so deeply indeed that he cared more for his fame 
as a consummate bowman than for the dignity and honor of his 
name as Emperor of Rome. This being true, it can well be 
understood how Claudius, by publicly boasting that he was a 
better archer than Commodus, had brought upon himself the 
calamity of a public execution. 

But not even Nero would have thought of bringing the girl 
to her death for the fault of the lover. 

Claudius and his young bride had been arrested together at 
their wedding-feast, and dragged to separate dungeons to await 
the emperor's will. The rumor was abroad that a most startling 
scene would be enacted in the circus. The result was that all 
the seats were filled with people eager to witness some harrowing 
scene of death. 

Commodus himself, surrounded by a great number of his 
favorites, sat on a richly-cushioned throne about midway one 
side of the enclosure. All was still, as if the multitude were 
breathless with expectancy. Presently out from one of the open- 
ings Claudius and his young bride — their hands bound behind 
them — were lead forth upon the arena and forced to walk around 
the entire circumference of the place. 

The youth was tall and nobly beautiful, a very Hercules in 
form, an Apollo in grace and charm of movement. His hair was 
blue-black and crisp, his eyes were dark and proud. The girl 
was petite and lovely beyond compare. Her eyes were gray and 
deep as those of a goddess; her hair was pure gold, falling 
to her feet, and trailing behind her as she walked. — Maurice 
Thompson. 



MOVEMENT. 307 



SECTION III. — MOVEMENT. 

Movement is the measure and rate given to successive 
sounds, or to words in a sentence. 

If we analyze sounds in nature we find that Movement is 
not confined in its expression to speech alone. Compare 
the galloping hoofs of the firemen's horses with the measured 
tread of the dray horse; the rapid beat of the drum in the 
double-quick charge with the slow, muffled beat in the 
funeral march; the rapid, piercing cries of the mother-bird 
when her young are in danger with her quiet chirp when 
no harm is near, — all these are symbols of human expressio?i. 
Human utterance partakes of a similar variety of movement 
under different states of the mind and feeling, i. e., slower 
and more measured in proportion to the dignity and import 
of the subject, more rapid and irregular in proportion -to 
the excitement of the occasion. It is through this element 
of Time that man's Vital nature is most strongly expressed. 
Movement is treated with reference to the symmetry of pulsa- 
tions of the voice, and the speed with which sounds are uttered 
in succession. Its divisions are Rhythm, and Rate. 



I. Rhythm. 

Rhythm is the musical x measure of speech — the har- 
monious flow of sounds or words in succession. 

Rhythm is a law of Nature. It is a law of the pulse, a 
law of breathing, a law of the action of the vocal organs, a 
law of the step and swing of the hand in walking, a law 
of music, a law of the movement of the heavenly bodies. 
Hurry and excitement quicken the pulse, the breathing, 

1 By the term musical we do not wish to convey that the tones uttered are 
notes of song, but that there is a regularity in the Rate of Movement very similar 
to that of music, though less marked and uniform. 



308 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

the step, and the utterance, but the Movement is none the 
less rhythmical because it varies with the feelings. 

Rhythm is adaptable to men under all conditions and 
passions, and it is of great value in expression because of 
this flexibility. When men do not speak in a more or less 
regular Rate of utterance, they prove not only unintelligible, 
but often incoherent; they will easily tire themselves, just 
as they would were they to vary the length of their steps 
in walking. 1 

Rhythm is moreover necessary to the health and vigor 
of the voice, as the organs must have time between pulsa- 
tions to recover their strength for subsequent strokes. This 
regularity of Movement produces measures of more or less 
uniform length. 

"A measure as applied to speech," says Dr. Barber, 
" consists of a heavy or accented portion of syllabic sound, 
and of a light or unaccented portion, produced by one effort 
of the organ of voice." These heavy and light strokes 
are called respectively the Pulsative and Remiss action of 
voice. 

The process of dividing speech into measures is called 
scoring. The characters used in scoring are: 

i. Bars (| | ) used to bound measures. 

2. The Triangle (a) used to indicate the Pulsative action 
of the voice. 

3. The Dotted Triangle (.*.) used to indicate the Remiss 
action of the voice. 

4. The Rest (*i) used to indicate Pause. 

5. The Circle (©) used to indicate the absence of a Pul- 
sative or Remiss, which is not accounted for in Rhetorical 
Pause. 

1 The late Dr. Thelwell, Lecturer on Public Reading and Speaking in King's 
College, London, attributes stammering and stuttering to the violation of this 
law of alternate action and reaction of the voice. 



MOVEMENT. 309 

The Pulsative Action is the heavy part of the measure. 
It is confined to one syllable, and always comes at the open- 
ing of the measure, thus: 

I Man is I mortal. I 
A I A I 

The Remiss Action is the light portion of the measure. 
Just as in music the light beat or beats follow the heavy 
one, so in speech the Remiss follows the Pulsative and 
occupies the last part of the measure. It is on this part 
that the voice reacts or rebounds as a ball rebounds when 
thrown to the floor. The Remiss may consist of from one 
to five syllables, and always takes place on unaccented and 
unemphatic syllables, as in the following sentence: 

I *1 And the I work was I done arltistically. I 

I A •*. .'. I A .*. I A •••I A-". •'. .'. I 

No measure can contain two Pulsatives, i.e., two heavy 
syllables cannot be uttered without a light one or a rest 
between them, in order that the voice may recover itself; 
just as it is impossible to strike two blows with a hammer 
without recovering between them. In the following sentence, 
for example, there are four Pulsatives occurring together; it 
is impossible to make them expressive without rests between 
them, thus: 

I Out, *1 I out, *1 I brief 1 I candle ! I 

I A •'. I A .*. I A .*• I A .*. 

If light syllables be placed between the heavy ones, then 
the voice would have opportunity to recover itself each time 
before the next stroke, e.g. : 

I Out and I out *1 I *1 a I man *1 I *1 he I was. 1 I 
I A •*. I A .'. I A-*. I A .*. I A •'• I A ■*. I 

To illustrate more fully let the student in speaking the 
above sentence strike forward with the fist on the words 



3IO PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

out, out, man, and was, recovering on the words and, a, and 
he, taking note at the same time of the Rhetorical Pauses, 
and he will readily understand the necessity of light and 
heavy strokes in utterance. Try the stamping of the foot 
in the same way and we have the Arsis and Thesis of the 
Greeks, the "lifting up" and the "putting down" of the 
foot. 

The voice should pass trippingly over the light words 
of a clause as it does over the light syllables of a word. 
Laborious efforts to be emphatic, result in too many Pulsa- 
tives and consequently too many measures. Pulsatives 
occur on most accented syllables and on all emphatic mono- 
syllables. Some accented syllables are not strong enough 
for Pulsatives, as for. example, + 

I *1 He I came /#to the I house. *1 I 
| A .'• I A •*. •'. .'• I A .'.I 

On the other hand, some secondary accents are strong 
enough to take the Pulsative, as, 

I *1 They I made a I slight © I modification. I 
I A •*. A •'• I A •*. I A.*. -MA ••• 

Single Indefinite syllables as arm, roar, thou, and some 
long Mutables as fire, glare, boom, in which the last sound 
is a liquid Continuant, may occupy full measures, as, 

I Thou | and I I *1 1 1 must I arm 1*1*11 fire I *1 and alway. I 
A •'. I A - I A •'. | A •'• I A .*• I A •'• I A-*. I A ."• .'.| A-'. I 

In the above sentence the remission takes place on the 
vanish of each of the vowels ou of thou, I, and a in the 
accented syllable of away, and on the sounds of m in arm, 
and r in fire. There should not, however, be a new measure 
for an Indefinite syllable when one or more Remiss syllables, 
clearly of the same measure, immediately follow it. 

The six typical measures of speech may be represented 
as follows: 



MOVEMENT 



311 



Typical Measures 



Roar 
A .". 

Roar-ing I 

A ••• I 
Beau-ti-ful I 

A .*. a I 
Beau-ti-ful-ly I 

A •'. •'• .". I 
Ob-li-ga-tor-y I 
A .'. •'. •". .*• I 
Spir-it-u-al-ly inlclined 

A .*. .*. '. .'• .". 



The measures most common are the second and third. We 
seldom find more than four syllables in a measure. Measures 
of which these are types, wherever they occur, may be pro- 
nounced with relatively equal time, although this is not 
necessary in order that there be Rhythm. We shall treat 
Rhythm first as applied to poetry, second to prose. 

1. Poetic Rhythm. 

Poetic Rhythm is the most distinct form of measured 
utterance. This comes of the regularity of light and heavy 
syllables in the poetic feet. In order that the student may- 
best understand poetic Rhythm, we here introduce a brief 
presentation of the ordinary feet used in the Scansion of 
English verse. 1 The character of a poetic foot depends 
(1) upon the number of its syllables, and (2) upon the position 
of the accent. A foot may contain either two or three 
syllables. 

The following table will serve to show the position of the 
accent and the number of syllables employed in the various 
feet: 



1 For fuller study and illustration of scansion and metre the student is 
referred to the chapter on versification in Hart's Rhetoric. Eklredge & Bro., 
Pub., Phila. 



312 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 
(i) Dissyllabic and Trissyllabic Feet. 



Dissyllabic 
Feet. 



Trisyllabic 
Feet. 



Poetical 
Feet. 


Accented 
Syllables. 


Prosordial 
Markings. 


Illustrative 
Words. 


Trochee 


First 


\j 


7 

ransom 


Iambus 


Second 


w 


/ 
remorse 


Spondee 


Both 


— — 


/ / 

mankind 


Dactyl 


First 


WW 


/ 
beautiful 


Amphibrach 


Second 


w \j 


/ 
regretful 


Anapest 


Third 


\y w 


/ 

evermore 



These may be further explained and illustrated as follows : 

a. The Trochee consists of a heavy followed by a light 
syllable in each foot ; as, 



Tell me | not, in | mournful | numbers, 

U I U I \J I 

" Life is | but an | empty | dream ! 

For the | soul is | dead that | slumbers, 

w I — w I \j I 

And things | are not | what they | seem." 

Longfellow. 



b. The Iambus, the most common form of metre, has 
a light followed by a heavy syllable ; as, 






^ ^ w w — 

A Rock j there is | whose homejly front 



The pas]sing trav|eller slights ; 



MOVEMENT. 3 I 3 



Yet there | the glowj-worms hang | their lamps, 

W I U I W 

Like stars | at var|ious heights ; 

w i w I W 



And one | coy Prim|rose to | that Rock 



W W W 

The ver nal breeze invites. 



Wordsworth. 



c. The Spondee, consists of two heavy syllables in the 
same foot, as found in the following line from Shakespeare : 



Farewell | a long | farewell | to all my greatness. 

Henry VIII,. Act III, Scene 2. 

d. The Dactyl, has one long and two short syllables 
in each foot ; as, 

w w I w w 

Take her up | tenderly 

— w ^ I — 
Lift her with | care 

— w w I — w w 
Fashioned so | slenderly 

— w w I — 
Young and so | fair. 

Hood. 

e. The Amphibrach, is composed of one long syllable 
between two short ones ; as, 

* W \J | w wlw wlw 

The bride kiss'd | the goblet ; | the knight took [ it up ; 

\J wlw wlw wlw 

He quaff' d off the wine, and he threw down the cup ; 



w ww ww w w 

He took her | soft hand ere | her mother | could bar ; — 

w wlw w 1^ wlw 

" Now tread we | a measure ! " | said young Loch|invar. 



Scott. 



314 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

f. The Anapest, consists of two short or unaccented 
syllables followed by one long or accented syllable ; as, 

\J w — I w w I \j w I u \j 

Now it catch|es the gleam | of the mornjing's first beam, 

In full glo|ry reflect] ed, now shines j on the stream. | 

'T is the star|-spangled ban|ner ! Oh long | may it wave 

\J W I W W I W W I W W 

O'er the land | of the free | and the home | of the brave. 

With reference to the general significance of these differ- 
ent kinds of verse in the province of expression, Prof. Wm. 
B. Chamberlain in his excellent work on the "Rhetoric of 
Vocal Expression " has very ingeniously provided the follow- 
ing series of "mnemonic epithets" by means of which the 
student may remember these relations : 

/ / / 

Trochaic ( w) springy, cheery, prompt. 

/ . ' / 

Iambic ( w ) more grave, insistent firm. 

/ / 

Poetic J Dactylic (_ \j \j) sprightly and musical. 

Rhythm. 1 / / 

Amphibrachic (w w) with stronger uplifting. 

/ / 

Anapestic ( w w ) with a full buoyant sweep. 

/ / / 

Spondaic ( ) full sound even. 

He says that, "the effects here indicated are the usual 
and normal ones. They are subject to many modifications. 
The thought contained in the poetry is often modified or 
supplemented, rather than emphasized or directly expressed, 
by the movement of verse." 

We might speak of verses in which there are mixed feet, and 
some that have not their full number of syllables, and others, in 
which there are more than the full compliment, but the student 
is referred as before to the rhetoricians who have discoursed at 
length on this subject. 



MOVEMENT. 3 I 5 

In Poetic Reading one should avoid two extremes : 
first the si?ig-so?ig or " turn te turn te " style, which makes 
prominent the metric feature of verse ; and second, the ten- 
dency to make poetry prosaic. The one may be avoided by 
paying less attention to measure and more to the grouping ; 
the other by delicately marking the metre so as not to in- 
terfere with the sense. Let it be remembered that the 
nearer one approaches the colloquial in poetry the less 
apparent is the metre. 

In scanning poetry a pause frequently occurs in the 
midst of a foot ; this is called the Caesural Pause. It 
affects scanning and not Rhythm. Example : 

Of man's | first dis|obed|ience, 1 and | the fruit 
Of that | forbid|den tree | whose mor|tal taste 
Brought death | into | the world | and all | our woe 
With loss | of E|den,1 till- 1 one great|er man 
Restore | us *1 and | regain | the blissjful seat, 
Sing, *1 heaven[ly muse. 

Milton. 

There are instances in which the metre and the 
Emphasis so uniformly coincide that the measure becomes 
a prominent feature of the reading. This is especially the 
case when the lines indicate a measured motion. The read- 
ing of such passages must echo to the sense. This is ac- 
complished by slightly lingering on the accented syllables. 
It is sometimes called the Prosodial Pause, but is not of 
sufficient length to be marked as a Pause. Metrical read- 
ing is often used in lyric poetry where the metre is an 
element of special beauty. Examples : 

But merjrily still, | with laugh | and shout, | 

From Hampjton Riv|er the boat | sail'd out, 

Till the huts | and the flakes | on the Star | seem'd nigh, 

And they lost | the scent | of the pines | of Rye. 

Whittier. 



3 l6 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

I sprang j to the sad|dle, and Jor|is and he, 

I gal|loped, Dirck gal|loped, we gal|loped all three. 

How they tink|le, tink|le, tinkjle, 

In the i|cy air | of night ! 
While the stars, | that oversprinkjle 
All the heavens, | seem to twink|le 

With a crys|talline dejlight ; 

Poe. 

And her step | was light | and air[y 
As the trip|ping of a fair|y. 

Waller. 

When there is no occasion for a Rhetorical Pause at the 
end of a line of poetry, there should be a slight attenuation 
of the last syllable to mark the full metre without any ces- 
sation or break in the utterance. Example : 

And there in ampler breadth expand 
The splendors of the four-in-hand. 

No horse so sturdy but he fears 






The handicap of twenty years. 

But, like the sable steed that bore 
The spectral lover of Lenore, 
His nostrils snorting foam and fire, 
No stretch his bony limbs can tire. 



Hohnes. 



Rhythm is not scansion, but a proper grouping of the sense, 
and such a gentle and graceful marking of the metre as will 
leave a pleasant impression upon the ear. 

(2) Scansion and Poetic Rhythm Compared. 

Scansion marks the metre regardless of sense. Poetic 
Rhythm, regards both metre and sense by proper measure 



MOVEMENT. 



317 



and grouping ; hence cultivated taste will not offend the 
ear by obtruding the structure of the verse. The following 
passages are designed to make this distinction clear to 
the student : — 

Scansion. 

The mel|anchol|y days | have come | the sadd|est of | the year. 

Rhythm. 

I *1 The I melancholy I days *| I *1 have I come *1 I *1 the I saddest 
I A •'• I A •'. .*• .'• I A •'. I A •'• I A •*. I A •'. I A •*. 
of the I year. *1 I 



Scansion. 



KJ \J 



Whatever | I do and | whatever | I say, 
Aunt Tabi|tha tells me | that isn't | the way ; 

KJ wiw WlW \J I \J 

When she was | a girl, (for|ty Summers | ago,) 
Aunt Tabi|tha tells me j they never | did so. 



Holmes. 



Rhythm. 



"1 Whatlever I I do *1 I *1 and whatever I I say, *| 



A •'• IA •'• •'• I A .'• I A 
1 Aunt I Tabitha I tells me 
A .*. I A •*. .*• I A 
1 When I she was a I girl, 
A •*• I A .". •*• I A •*• 
*1 Aunt I Tabitha I tells me 
A .*. I A .'. •'• I A .*. 



A .". .'• I A 

1 1 I that 1 I isn't the I way; 

A •*• I A .*• I A .*. .". I A-'- 

*1 *1 I (forty I Summers algo,) 1 

A .*. I A ••• I A •'. •••I A .*• 

*1 •*] I they *l I never I did so. I 

A •*. I A •'. I A •*. A .". I 



2. Prose Rhyth?n. 

Prose Rhythm is less uniform than Poetic Rhythm. All 
prose contains ever varying but positive measures. The 
irregularity in the number of syllables in a measure does 
not, as might be supposed, affect the Rhythm. The measures 
are pronounced with nearly the same time, depending, as 
will be shown, upon the Rate the passion requires, and hence 
the even flow is not disturbed. A varied, colloquial style of 



3l8 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

utterance is the least rhythmical. Dignified and impressive 
oratory, grandeur and solemnity abound in a succession of 
more or less even measures while imaginative and poetic prose 
is replete with regular measures. One's interpretation of an 
author's meaning must determine his use of Rhythm, and 
Scoring is a means of recording that interpretation. 

In the following exercises in Rhythm the student should 
learn the one important lesson of passing easily and lightly 
over imaccented syllables, for by so doing he will soon acquire 
the art of expressing thoughts and not words only. In these 
exercises due space must be given to Pause. Some writers 
on the subject have not taken full account of Rhetorical 
Pauses; there is no conflict between Phrasing and Scoring. 
Pauses or rests are as essential to Rhythm as is sound, and 
they should be considered and marked first. 

3. Scored Illustrations. 

The exercises below are designed to correct the faults we 
have referred to, and give one command of an easy Rhythm. 

From MAGDALENA OR THE SPANISH DUEL. 

I *1 The I river I *1 fori ever I glides *1 I singing allong, 
I A •'• I A .*• I A •'• I A •*. I A •'• I A •*. .'.| A .". 
I *1 The I rose I *1 on its I bank 1 | bends © I down I *1 to its I song; 

I 1 And the I flower | *| as it I listens I *1 unlconsciously I dips, 1 

I 1 Till the I rising I wave *1 | glistens I *1 and I kisses its I lips. *1 

I *1 But I why *1 I *1 the I wave *i I rises and I kisses the I rose 
I A •'• I A •*• I A •'• I A -I A .". .'. I A .*• A I A •'• 
I *1 And I why the I rose ^ I stoops *| I *l for those | kisses I 1 *1 
I A •'• I A •'. I A •". I A .'• I A .*■ .'• I A .% I A •'. 

who © I knows ? I 
A "I A .*. I 
I *1 And alway 1 I flows the I river I *] but I whither I 1 1 I who © 
I A •'• •*•' A .'• I A •'• I A •*• I A •'• I A •*. I A ••• I A •"• 



knows ? 
A 



/. F. Waller. 



MOVEMENT. 319 



From SUPPOSED SPEECH OF JOHN ADAMS. 

I "I If we postl-pone indel-pendence, I *1 do we I mean to I carry 
I A ••• .*. .". I A .*• .*• I A •'• I A .*■ .*• I A .'• I A .*. 
I on, I *1 or give I up 1 I 1 the I war 1 ? I *1 Do we I mean to 
I A-'- I A .". ••• I A /. I A ••• I A ••• I A .'• .*• I A 
subl-mit *l I 1 to the I measures of I Parliament, I 1 1 I Boston 

.*. I A ••• I A .*• ••• I A .'• ••• I A .*• •*. I A .'. I A •'• 
I Port © I Bill 1 I 1 and I all ? I *1 1 I 1 Do we I mean to sublmit 1 
I A •'. I A .*. .'. I A •'. I A .*. I A .'• I A ••• .*. I A .*• V I A .'. 
*1 and conlsent *l I 1 that I we I 1 our-lselves 1 I *1 shall be 
A A ••• I A •'. I A .'• I A-*. I A .*. I A ■. I A •'• 
I ground to I powder I *1 and our I country I *1 and its I rights 1 I trod- 
I A .*. I A ••• I A .*. .*• I A •'• I A ••• .*• I A •*. I A 
den I down in the I dust ? 1 I 1 1 I 1 I I know I 1 we do I not 1 
/. I A .'. .". I A .*• I A .'. I A ••• I A A I A •*. .*• I A ,'• 
I mean to sublmit. *1 I 1 We I never I shall sublmit. *1 I 
I A •'. •'. I A •'. I A .'• I A •". I A .*. I A ■*• I 

Webster. 

In the following exercises the student may dispense with 
the characters used to represent the Pulsative and Remiss, 
as he is now familiar with their position in the measure. 



From THE LAST LEAF. 

J *1 I I saw him | *1 1 | once be|fore 
J *1 As he I passed by the | door ; 

I 1 And a|gain 1 
j 1 The I pavement J -stones re] sound 1 
I *l As he I totters o'er the | ground *1 

I 1 With his I cane. 
I *1 They | say 1 | *1 that in his | prime | 1 *1 
I Ere the | pruning- | knife of | time 

I Cut him I down, | *1 1 
I Not a I better | man was | found 1 
I *1 By the | crier | *1 on his ] round *1 
I 1 Through the | town. | 

Holmes. 

From FRAUDULENT PARTY OUTCRIES. 

I Sir, *l I 1 I I see, *1 | 1 in | those © | vehicles | 1 which | carry 
to the I people | 1 *1 | sentiments from | high © | places, | plain © 



320 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

| declarations | *1 that the | present | controversy | *1 is but a 
| strife 1 | *1 between | one © | part of the com|munity | *1 and 
an|other. | *1 I | hear it | boasted | 1 as the un|failing se|curity, 
| *1 the | solid | ground, 1 | never to be | shaken, | *1 on | which 
1 | recent | measures | rest, *| | "1 that the \ poor *1 | naturally 
| hate the J rich. *1 | *1 I | know | 1 that, | under the | cover of 
the | roofs of the | Capitol, | 1 within the | last | twenty-|four 
| hours, 1 ] 1 a|mong © | men *] | sent here | *1 to de|vise © | means 
for the ] public | safety | 1 and the | public | good, 1 | *1 it has 
been | vaunted | forth, *1 | *1 as | matter of | boast and | triumph, 
| *1 that | one © | cause ex|isted | *1 *1 | powerful e]nough to sup- 
|port © | every thing, | 1 and to de|fend *| | every thing ; | *| and 
J that 1 | was, 1 | *1 the | natural | hatred of the | poor *1 | *l to 
the | rich. 1 | — Webster. 

4. Selections for Scoring. 

We append the following passages for scoring; the student 
will find it expeditious first to go through a paragraph or 
stanza, placing a bar before each Pulsative syllable, and 
then returning, to mark the Pauses, adding new measures 
if they are required. In the second selection only the 
Rhetorical Pauses need be marked, but the correct Pulsa- 
tive and Remiss action of voice must be observed in its 
rendition. 

From THE TELLTALE. 

Under garlands of drooping vines, 
Through dim vistas of sweet-breathed pines, 
Past wide meadow-fields lately mow'd, 
Wander'd the indolent country road. 
The lovers follow'd it, listening still, 
And, loitering slowly, as lovers will, 

Enter'd a low-roof'd bridge, that lay, 
Dusky and cool, in their pleasant way. 
Under its arch a smooth, bright stream 
Silently glided, with glint and gleam, 



MOVEMENT. 321 

Shaded by graceful elms that spread 
Their verdurous canopy overhead, — ■ 
The stream so narrow, the boughs so wide, 
They met and mingled across the tide. 

Anon. 



From WISDOM DEARLY PURCHASED. 

I was an Irishman in the Irish business, just as much as I was 
an American, when, on the same principles, I wished you to con- 
cede to America at a time when she prayed concession at our feet. 
Just as much was I an American, when I wished Parliament to 
offer terms in victory, and not to wait the ill-chosen hour of 
defeat, for making good by weakness and by supplication a claim 
of prerogative, preeminence, and authority. 

Instead of requiring it from me, as a point cf duty, to kindle 
with your passions, had you all been as cool as I was, you would 
have been saved disgraces and distresses that are unutterable. 
Do you remember our commission ? We sent out a solemn 
embassy across the Atlantic Ocean, to lay the crown, the peerage, 
the commons of Great Britain at the feet of the American Con- 
gress. — Burke. 

II. Rate. 

Rate is the rapidity with which sounds or words are 
uttered in succession. It is the speed of utterance, — the 
application of Quantity and Pause to a collection of words. 
Much of the vigor and exquisite shading of expression 
depends upon the right management of this element. Every 
sentiment or passion has its appropriate Rate of utterance- 
The dirge and the funeral train move with a slow and 
solemn tread ; the inspiring martial air and the charge of 
cavalry quicken into rapid pace. The sudden and terrible 
destruction of the hurricane or the earthquake are manifes- 
tations of Nature's forces in rapid action, and can only be 
pictured to the mind by a rapidity of utterance in keeping 
with the awful terror of such scenes. 



322 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



If it be true, then, that in Nature the rapidity of sounds 
in succession is an index to the sentiments that prompt 
them, it must follow that, in order to be natural in expres- 
sion, the changes of thought and feeling must be given in 
varied Rates of Movement. 

Rate of Movement may be divided into the Moderate, 
the Slow, the Very Slow, the Rapid, and the Very Rapid. 

i . Scale of Comparative Rates. 

The following diagram is designed to indicate relatively, 
the proportionate number of syllables that occur in a given 
time in the several Rates ; fifteen in the Very Rapid during 
the time of twelve in the Rapid, nine in the Moderate, six in 
the slow, and three in the Very Slow: 



Very Rapid 


15 




Rapid 


12 




Moderate 


9 




Slow 


6 


• ••••• 


Very Slow 


3 


• • • 



Rate < 



We may get an excellent idea of comparative Rates of 
Movement by uttering each of the following sentences in 
the time of about two seconds ; or what is better, let five 
persons each take one of the sentences and recite them 
together in exactly the same time. 






Very Rapid. Through his ear the summons stung, 
As if a battle-trump had rung. 

Holmes. 

Rapid. A spring to the saddle, a spurt with the pedal. — Anon. 

Moderate. She was conquered by her own factions' — Judge 
Story. 



MOVEMENT. 323 

Slow. God's blessing on the day.- Tennyson. 
Very Slow. " Fare-thee-well." 

The Scale of Movement, like all other scales in Elocu- 
tion, is not absolute, but relative, and adjustable to individu- 
ality and environment. It is natural for one person to 
speak faster than another. Webster's style was slow and 
ponderous, that of Phillips was moderate and conversational, 
while that of Phillips Brooks was a notable example of the 
Very Rapid style of oratory. Each of these persons had a 
scale of Movement peculiar to himself. They expressed 
patriotism, joy, or sorrow in different relative Rates, yet 
they were all true to nature. 

Furthermore, the Rate of Movement, like the Scale of 
Degrees of Force, must be adapted to the size and shape 
of the auditorium and to the size of the audience. (See 
page 150.) The larger the room or the greater the acoustic 
difficulties the slower must be the proportionate Rate of 
Movement for all sentiments. 

2. Scale of Limitations. 

In the application of Rate to the various sentiments and 
emotions for any given auditorium the rapidity of Movement 
depends altogether upon the character of the thought. Rate 
must be in perfect harmony with the action described or 
depicted, and must accommodate itself to every mood of 
man; if very brisk, the emotion is lively, joyous or impetuous ; 
if the action be slow, the thought is more serious, important, 
or gloomy. And, too, any given sentiment may extend 
through a number of degrees of Rate affording ample range 
for variety in expression. 

The following brief diagram is more comprehensive than 
a mere statement of the styles appropriate to each degree 
of Rate. 



324 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 







Effusive 








Expulsive 










Explosive 




< A ' V 


A 





A 


'-"I 




' 


' 






u\ 


: 








_. 














_I_ 






\i\ 


















1 


> 6 








o 


co 






TTTT1 


1 • \ 










s 




£ c 






P ° ^ 


J DC 

\o < 


c 


z. 
•> 


CO 

2 





J 
r 


h-o~- 2~*- 

§ o 5 


-X3 

■'rn 

3 






I f 


1 e 










' 




33 






/ * 

/ oJ 

r col 




> 33 
L ° 

- — =r — 

c 

2 C 


._J 


— rn — 
o 

o 




2 
C 


: r 

j 






r 


rf 




H 






j 
r 




33 

> 












5 ol 






* — 


i. 






><r>\ 






1 












The above scale shows the approximate limitations of the 
Forms and Qualities in Rate of Movement. The student 
having mastered the study of the limitations of Force and 
Pitch, in their combinations with Form and Quality, will at 
once note the similarity between them and the subject now 
under treatment. The same tests which have proved the 
truth of those diagrams have led to the conclusion that 
speech-notes cannot be given in correct expression outside 
of the limitations set forth in this diagram. 

Let us consider a few of these limitations. 

The Effusive Normal, it will be remembered, is appro- 
priate in the utterance of solemnity, tranquillity, and pathos. 
These sentiments find their range in Slow and Moderate 
Rates of Movement, oftentimes running into the "Very Slow 
and the Rapid. This not only shows the limitation, but 
the range of these sentiments in Movement, affording ample 
room for individuality and variety in expression. Further- 
more it enables us to be guided by a general law rather than 
led by a dogmatic statement. • For instance, the text-books 
on this subject, almost without exception, have stated that 
pathos should be given in Slow Movement. Yet many 



MOVEMENT. 325 

passages of the most distinct pathos, such as the words 
of Shakespeare's " Romeo and Juliet " or Poe's " Annabel 
Lee " are correctly given in the Rapid Movement. Our scale 
accounts for this. 

Effusive Orotund extends through Moderate, Slow, and 
Very Slow. The volume of the Orotund, limited by the 
gentle flow of the Effusive, would not allow it to range in 
the Rapid or Very Rapid. This is shown in Nature by 
the illustrations of reverence, sublimity, and devotion already 
given (p. 126). 

Effusive Oral is given in Slow and Very Slow Movement. 
The condition of sickness ox feebleness expressed by this com- 
bination would not allow the more Rapid degree of Move- 
ment. When Oral is given, even in Moderate Rates, it 
takes the Expulsive Form as shown in the diagram. 

It is not necessary to further explain these limitations, as the 
student has learned the plan in the treatment of previous scales. 
It will be interesting in this connection, however, for the student 
to compare Rates of Movement with the corresponding Degrees 
of Pitch. 

3. Relation to Pause. 

The Pauses occurring in the several Rates generally cor- 
respond in length to the rapidity of the Movement. The 
Very Rapid Rate requires the shortest Pauses, the Very 
Slow the longest, — the other Rates having Pauses of pro- 
portionate length. 

4. Ge?ieral Suggestions. 

The indisposition on the part of some speakers to vary 
the Rate sufficiently is one of the most common faults of 
utterance. The uniformly Moderate or Slow Rate, and the 
no less serious habit of too great rapidity which prevents 
distinctness are faults that cannot be too carefully guarded 
against. A uniform Rate of any degree is one form of 



326 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

monotony and should therefore be avoided. Bear in mind 
that the Rate becomes slower in proportion to the gravity 
or importance of the matter. Abstruse passages require 
slower Rate in order that that they may be better under- 
stood. In extemporization, the mental operations are usually 
more deliberate, and the expression should be correspond- 
ingly so. New subjects and new headings require more 
deliberate Movement because of their relative importance. 
Rate, then becomes a most important mecms of Emphasis for a 
variation of the Movement calls particular attention to the 
parts thus distinguished. After having mastered the different 
Rates as to physical effects, let the mind yield to the 
instinctive influence of the emotion. The following exer- 
cises should be practiced until the student can execute 
with precision and energy the varying Rates of Movement. 

5. Illustrative Selections. 

(1) The Moderate Rate predominates in the following 
passages : 

From THE LEGEND OF BREGENZ. 

Far from her home and kindred, a Tyrol maid had fled, 
To serve in the Swiss valleys, and toil for daily bread ; 
And every year that fleeted so silently and fast 
Seem'd to bear further from her the memory of the past. 

She served kind, gentle masters, nor asked for rest or change ; 
Her friends seemed no more new ones, their speech seemed no 

more strange ; 
And, when she led her cattle to pasture every day, 
She ceased to look and wonder on which side Bregenz lay. 

She spoke no more of Bregenz, with longing and with tears ; 
Her Tyrol home seemed faded in a deep mist of years ; 
She heeded not the rumors of Austrian war or strife ; 
Each day she rose contented, to the calm toils of life. 

Adelaide Proctor. 



MOVEMENT. 327 

From ADDRESS OF WELCOME TO THE PAN-AMERICANS. 

We share to the full measure the general desire of our country- 
men that your present visit to the United States may lead to the 
establishment of closer commercial relations between us and the 
nations that you represent. But standing beneath the roof of 
this university, may I not venture to say that we hope and believe 
that the visit of such accomplished scholars and publicists, will 
tend to form ties stronger than those of mere commercial interest. 
There is an intellectual and spiritual brotherhood which embraces 
men of all tongues and all nations. The world of letters and 
science and art, if it knows international boundaries, is divided 
by no international barriers. In the interchange and common 
possession of the great ideas of the best thinkers of all time, we 
are bound together in one fraternity. Great thoughts, unhind- 
ered by the loftiest mountain ranges or the wide expanse of 
ocean, course round the world free as the unfettered airs of 
heaven. Whatever obstacles there may be to the exchange of 
the material products of your countries and our country, there is 
no obstacle to the exchange of thought. — James B. Angell. 

(2) The Slow Rate is the predominating movement in 
the following extracts' : 

From MACBETH. Act III, Scene 2. 

Macbeth. Better be with the dead, 
Whom we, to gain our place, have sent to peace, 
Than on the torture of the mind to lie 
In restless ecstasy. Duncan is in his grave ; 
After life's fitful fever he sleeps well ; 
Treason has done his worst : nor steel, nor poison, 
Malice domestic, foreign levy, nothing, 
Can touch him further. 

Lady Macbeth. Come on ; gentle my lord, 
Sleek o'er your rugged looks ; be bright and jovial 
Among your guests to-night. 

Macb. So shall I, love ; 

And so, I pray, be you. 

Shakespeare. 



328 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

From THE WRECK AT RTVERMOUTH. 

O Rivermouth Rocks, how sad a sight 

Ye saw in the light of breaking day ! 
Dead faces looking up cold and white 

From sand and sea-weed where they lay. 
The mad old witch-wife wailed and wept, 
And cursed the tide as it backward crept: 
" Crawl back, crawl back, blue water-snake ! 
Leave your dead for the hearts that break ! " 

Solemn it was in that old day 

In Hampton town and its log-built church, 
Where side by side the coffins lay 

And the mourners stood in aisle and porch: 
In the singing-seats young eyes were dim, 
The voices faltered that raised the hymn, 
And Father Dal ton, grave and stern, 
Sobbed through his prayer and wept in turn. 

Whittier. 

From THE YELLOW CHRYSAlfTHEMUM. 

O, Spirit of flower so rare, 

Glowing with light, 
Lead me to the bower, where 

Cometh no night. 

Olive E. F. Tiffany. 

(3) The Very Slow Rate. The underscored parts of 
the following passages may take this rate : 

From JULIUS CJESAR. Act V, Scene 1. 

Cassius. Then, if we lose this battle, 

You are contented to be led in triumph 
Through the streets of Rome ? 



MOVEMENT. 329 

Brutus. No, Cassius, no: think not, thou noble Roman, 
That ever Brutus will go bound to Rome; 
He bears too great a mind. But this same day 
Must end that work the ides of March begun; 
And whether we shall meet again I know not. 
Therefore our everlasting farewell take: 
For ever, and for ever, farewell, Cassius! 
If we do meet again, why, we shall smile; 
If not, why, then this parting was well made. 

Cas. For ever, and for ever, farewell, Brutus ! 
If we do meet again, we'll smile indeed; 
If not, 'tis true this parting was well made. 

Bru. Why, then lead on. O, that a man might know 
The end of this day's business ere it come ! 
But it sufficeth that the day will end, 
And then the end is known. — Come, ho ! away ! 

Shakespeare. 



From MACBETH. Act I, Scene 7. 

Macbeth. If it were done when 'tis done, then 'twere well. 
It were done quickly, if th' assassination 
Could trammel up the consequence, and catch, 
With his surcease, success; that but this blow 
Might be the be-all and the end-all here, 
But here, upon this bank and shoal of time, 
We 'd jump the life to come. But in these cases 
We still have judgment here ; that we but teach 
Bloody instructions, which, being taught, return 
To plague th' inventor : This even-handed justice 
Commends th' ingredients of our poison'd chalice 
To our own lips. He's here in double trust: 
First, as I am his kinsman and his subject, 



330 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Strong both against the deed; then, as his host, 
Who should against his murderer shut the door, 
Not bear the knife myself. Besides, this Duncan 
Hath borne his faculties so meek, hath been 
So clear in his great office, that his virtues 
Will plead like angels, trumpet-tongued, against 
The deep damnation of his taking-off. 

Shakespeare. 

(4) The Rapid Rate is the predominating movement in 
the following passages : 

From THE SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL. Act III, Scene 1. 

Sir Peter Teazle. Now, may all the plagues of marriage be 
doubled on me, if ever I try to be friends with you any more. 

Lady Teazle. So much the better. 

Sir P. No, no, madam ; 'tis evident you never cared a pin for 
me, and I was a madman to marry you, — a pert, rural coquette, 
that had refused half the honest squires in the neighborhood. 

Lady T. And I am sure I was a fool to marry you, — an old 
dangling bachelor, who was single at fifty, only because he never 
could meet with any one who would have him. 

Sir P. Ay, ay, madam ; but you were pleased enough to listen 
to me ; you never had such an offer before. 

Lady T. No? didn't I refuse Sir Tivy Terrier, who everybody 
said would have been a better match? for his estate is just as 
good as yours, and he has broke his neck since we have been 
married. — Richard Brinsley Sheridan. 

From THE CONFESSIONAL. 

I saw those eyes 
That used to look such passion into mine, 
Turned with the selfsame look to other eyes, — 
Yes, light blue eyes, — that upward gazed at him, 
I could not bear their bliss. 






MOVEMENT. 331 

I scarcely knew what happened then ; I knew 

I felt for the stiletto in my vest 

With purpose that was half mechanical, 

As if a demon used my hand for his. 

I felt the red blood singing through my brain, 

I struck, — before me, at my feet, she fell. 

A 71071. 

(5) The Very Rapid Rate. The underscored passages 
may properly take this Rate : 

From HOW THE OLD HORSE WON THE BET. 

Before a quarter pole was pass'd, 

Old Hiram said, " He's going fast." 

Long ere the quarter was a half, 

The chuckling crowd had ceased to laugh ; 

Tighter his frightened jockey clung 

As in a mighty stride he swung, 

The gravel flying in his track, 

His neck stretched out, his ears laid back, 

His tail extended all the while 

Behind him like a rat-tail file ! 

Off went a shoe, — away it spun, 



Shot like a bullet from a gun ; 
The quaking jockey shapes a prayer 
From scraps of oaths he used to swear ; 
He drops his whip, he drops his rein, 
He clutches fiercely for a mane ; 
He'll lose his hold, — he sways and reels, - 
He'll slide beneath those trampling heels ! 
The knees of many a horseman quake, 
The flowers on many a bonnet shake, 
And shouts arise from left and right, 



332 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

" Stick on ! stick on ! " " Hould tight ! hould tight ! " 
" Cling round his neck ; and don't let go, — 
That pace can't hold, — there ! steady ! whoa ! " 

Holmes. 

From UNCLE DAN'LS APPARITION. 

"Well, Uncle Dan'l, I think that — My! here comes another 
one up the river ! There can't be two 



! " 



We gone dis time, — we done gone dis time, sho' ! Dey 



ain't two, Mars Clay, — dat's de same one. De Lord kin 'pear 
eberywhah in a second. Goodness, how de fiah an' de smoke do 
belch up ! Dat mean business, honey. He comin' now like he 
fo'got sumfin. Come 'long, chil'en ; time you's gwine to roos'. 
Go 'long wid you, — ole Uncle Dan'l gwine out in de woods to 
rastle in prah, — de ole niggah gwine to do what he kin to sabe 
you agin." — Mark Twain. 

6. Selection for Original Study in Rate. 

The student should analyze the following selection, 
determine the Rate of Movement for each of the varying 
sentiments, and read or recite them accordingly : 



From THE CONFESSIONAL. 

At last the autumn came, the stricken, bleeding, autumn, 

Something weighed on his mind I could not understand ; 

I knew all was not right, yet dared not ask. 

At last, a few words made all things plain ; 

" Love, I must go to Venice." " Must? " " Yes, must." 

" Then I go too." " No, no ; ah ! Nina, no. 

Four weeks pass swiftly ; one short month, and then 

I shall return to Florence and to you."- 

Vain were my words. He went ; alas ! he went 
With all the sunshine : and I wore alone 
The weary weeks out of that hateful month. 



MOVEMENT. 333 

Another month I waited, nervous, fierce 

With love's impatience. When that month was gone 

My heart was all afire ; I could not stay. 

Consumed with jealous fears that wore me down 

Into a fever, — necklace, earrings, — all 

I sold, and on to Venice rushed. How long 

That dreary, never-ending journey seemed ! 

I cursed the hills up which we slowly dragged, 

The long, flat plains of Lombardy I cursed 

That kept me back from Venice. 

But at last, in a black gondola, I swam along 
The sea-built city, and my heart was big 
With the glad thought that I was near to him. 
Yes, gladness came upon me that soft night, 
And jealousy was hushed, and hope led on 
My dancing heart. In vain I strove to curb 
My glad impatience — I must see him then, 
At once, that very night ; I could not wait 
The tardy morning — 'twas a year away ! 
I only gave the gondolier his name 
And said, " You know him ? " " Yes." 
" Then row me quick to where he is." 

He bowed and on we went, 

And as we swept along, I leaned me out 

And dragged my burning fingers in the wave, — 

My hurried heart forecasting to itself our meeting. 

What he'd say and think, — 

How I should hang upon his neck and say : 

11 1 could not longer live without you, dear." 

At last we paused. The gondolier said : 

" This is the palace." I was struck aghast. 

It flared with lights that from the windows gleamed 

And trickled down into the black canal. 

"Stop ! Stop ! " I cried, " 'tis some mistake. 

Why are these lights ? This palace is not his. 

He owns no palace." "Pardon," answered he, 



334 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

" I fancied the signora wished to see 

The marriage festa — and all Venice knows 

The bride receives to-night." " What bride ? Whose bride ? 

I asked impatient. " Count Alberti's bride, — 

Whom else ? " he answered with a shrug. My heart 

From its glad, singing height, dropped like a lark 

Shot dead, at these words. The whole world reeled, 

And for a moment I was crushed and stunned. 

Then came the wild revulsion of despair ; 

Then calm more dreadful than the fiercest pain. 

A 11011. 



PART III. 

THE ELEMENTS OF ACTION. 

INTRODUCTION. 

Action in expression is that part of delivery which 
addresses itself to the eye. It is one of the dual agents 
of Elocution by means of which that which has been im- 
pressed may be expressed; it relates to the expressions of 
countenance, the positions, attitudes, and movements of the 
Head, Torso, and Limbs. 

Action is a universal language, the same in kind among 
all peoples, varying only in degree. The reverent bow of 
the head with one people becomes a genuflection or a prone 
position of the body with another. The uplifted fist and 
angry look mean the same the world over, as do the look 
and gesture of welcome. The desire to reinforce spoken 
language with some kind of action is universal. When one 
fails to make himself understood " by word of mouth " he 
resorts to gesture. It is, then, the purpose of action to 
modify or reenforce speech; when it does not do this it is 
superfluous. 

I. Importance of the Subject. 

Mantegazza says, " Spontaneous physical expression is 
the language of all intelligent men, and extends its influence 
beyond the domain of humanity; it is comprehensible to 
those animals who most approximate to us by the develop- 
ment of their nerve centers." On this account we more 

33S 



33^ PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

readily understand their action and they ours. For example, 
threaten to strike a dog, or pick up a stone to hurl at him 
and he will make every effort to avoid you; reach out the 
hand to beckon or caress him and he understands equally 
well. 

But still more important is the use of the hand in address- 
ing the highest order of intelligent beings. The orator by 
the use of gesture in public speaking gains the important 
advantage of addressing the intellect and passions through 
two senses. Quintilian attributes to the hand the power 
to invite or repel, accept or reject, give or withhold, wel- 
come or deprecate; to indicate number and quantity, express 
abundance or destitution, exultation or dejection; to appeal, 
challenge, warn, threaten or scorn. 

An eloquent man compelled to speak under great emotion 
with his hands bound to his side would experience the 
greatest discomfort, if indeed, his eloquence were not alto- 
gether stilled. The eloquent Garfield, on the morning of the 
death of Lincoln when he quieted the fierce tumult in Wall 
Street, New York, with that memorable sentence, " God reigns 
and the Government at Washington still lives," would have 
been next to powerless without the quieting influence of 
the hand. Hence we see that action, the complement of 
spoken language, is a most essential element of the speaker's 
power. 

II. Conception of Action. 

Before entering into the work of the cultivation of the 
body and the study of the Principles of action it may be well 
to fix upon a standard for guidance in the application of each 
exercise and Principle. With this standard clearly before 
us, the student will be relieved of much of the drudgery 
usually associated with this study and drill. 

Primarily the Conception or Application of the Principles 
of Action depends upon taste which varies, and always will 
vary to a greater or less degree, among speakers. Yet we 



INTRODUCTION. 337 

hold that there are general rules or suggestions based upon 
the laws of criticism, that will aid the student very materi- 
ally in fixing his habits of gesture. These may be grouped 
under four heads as follows: — i. Impulse to Gesture. 2. 
Suppression of Self. 3. The Limits of Personation, and 4. 
Action for Figurative Language. 

1 . Impulse to Gesture. 

The impulse to action is of first importance ; then comes 
the form of the gesture. This impulse springs out of the 
activities of the psychic state and represents the various 
blends of the Mental, Emotive, and Vital Natures; hence a 
gesture without impulse back of it is like a word without 
meaning — an automatic grimace without a soul. Much of 
the unfavorable criticism upon the study of gesture — and, 
in fact, upon the whole study of elocution — is due to the 
mechanical execution of a principle without the psychic 
impulse which should inspire it. Let the student remem- 
ber that a genuine impulse in poor form is preferable to a 
well formed gesture with no impulse. Better no gesture 
than no impulse. But both may be acquired and developed. 

The study and practice of the forms of action is legiti- 
mate and useful. Moreover there is a reciprocal advantage 
in this, for while the impulse helps the form, it will be 
found that the exercise of the form, in turn, cultivates the 
impulse. 

2. Suppression of Self 

We must hide behind our subject. The speaker who 
makes himself more prominent than his theme is a failure. 
He is a successful orator who leads his audience to think 
his thoughts, feel his emotions and do his will, all uncon- 
scious of the speaker himself. 

This is a large subject and involves more than can be 
discussed here ; but the most fruitful source of exaltation of 



33& PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

the speaker above his theme is ill conceived and badly 
executed action. Awkward, inappropriate gesture attracts 
attention to the speaker. How often a beautiful thought 
or a sublime emotion is marred by the reader's interpreta- 
tion, and we carry away with us only the memory of a ludi- 
crous gesture or a painful grimace. 

On the other hand, too much action, like over-ornamenta- 
tion in dress, though beautiful in itself, attracts attention to 
the speaker and correspondingly away from the thought 
of the recitation or speech. In short, affectation and vanity 
are quite as distasteful on the rostrum as in private life, and 
in no way does the speaker show these frailties more plainly 
than by his conception and application of action. 

3. Li7tiits of Personation. 

In no particular, perhaps, does the reciter err more 
than in the choice and extent of his personation of 
character. Many of our public entertainers personate 
everything from the merest description to legitimate person- 
ation which they often overact to a degree that is painful to 
an audience. Their desire to act out every phase of the 
language seems to take possession of them and they leave 
nothing to the imagination. 

(1) First Limitation. 

To formulate the limitations of personation we may lay 
down several very broad and general rules, the first one of 
which is that a speaker should personate only when he has 
the direct words or the strong emotion of a character to 
utter. These may be determined by the context and are 
generally represented on the printed page by quotation 
marks or by the dramatic significance of the thought. 

To illustrate: A prominent reader recites, among other 
selections, Whittier's "Maud Muller." When he comes to 
the lines : 









INTRODUCTION. 339 

"She stooped where the cool spring bubbled up, 
And filled for him her small tin cup, 
And blushed as she gave it, looking down 
At her feet so bare, and her tattered gown," 

on the first line he stoops down until his knuckles almost 
touch the floor ; in the second line he dips at the water ; 
then he stands up and tries to blush as he represents Maud 
Muller giving the cup of water to the Judge who is on 
horseback ; and, lastly, he makes a gesture and looks down, 
directing the attention of the audience to his own feet 
which are not "bare" and to the "tattered gown" which 
is not there. The picture presented to the mental vision 
of the audience is not that of the beautiful Maud Muller, 
with her sweet simplicity and unstudied grace, but the 
picture of this man going through the antics of a false con- 
ception, trying to be two persons at once, the narrator and 
Maud Muller. Beyond all doubt the imagination has been 
cheated of the idealistic picture of the girl which the correct 
recitation of the poet's words would have given. 

Let us look for a moment into the impossibility of carry- 
ing out this so-called popular conception of action. Even 
if it is admitted that the reciter may stoop down to a cool 
spring which is not there and fill an imaginary cup which 
is not in his hand, when he stands up to give the cup to the 
Judge, he cannot carry out the idea and blush at will. To 
be consistent he should do this, which is nothing short of a 
perversion of nature which of itself condemns the attempt. 

In speaking of another's eyes, or mouth, or hair, or heart, 
there is no occasion to make gestures referring to these 
parts of one's own physical organism. If we speak casually 
of a Hercules we should not assume an attitude of strength. 
If we speak of a flower, a tree, a stream, a city, a mountain, 
or a star we should simply locate them. If we speak of a 
crying child, a dancing girl, a kneeling man, or a hovering 
angel, we may locate them, but we must not personate them 



340 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

in these actions. In almost any selection suitable for public 
recitation, there will be opportunity enough for personation 
in the words of the characters introduced ; but we must put 
the personations in their proper places. In "No Sects in 
Heaven " we have in quotation marks the words of the 
clergyman, as follows : 

" As down to the stream his way he took, 
His pale hands clasping a gilt-edged book: 

'I'm bound for Heaven, and when I'm there, 
I shall want my Book of Common Prayer.' " 

We should not clasp an imaginary book on the second line, 
but we may do so in the last two lines, and also personate 
the clergyman in look and tone. 

In short, as the highest form of art represents a character 
or incident not at its climax but almost ready to reach it, 
leaving the mind of the beholder to paint, in his own imagi- 
nation, a greater climax than the skill of the painter or 
sculptor could execute, so the gesture and attitude of the 
orator or reader should suggest without any attempt at 
carrying out a picture or a thought to its ultimate culmina- 
tion. 

(2) Second Limitation. 

We should distinguish between the reciter and the 
actor. While we have the right to personate when we have 
the words of a character to utter, we must not trespass 
upon the territory of the actor. Let us draw the line 
between these two fields of art. As a personator or reciter, 
dressed appropriately for public appearance, we may sug- 
gest the action without carrying it to the extent appropriate 
to the actor. There must be no attempt at costume, or 
dependence upon stage accessories. We must suggest the 
picture, and allow the imagination of the audience to paint 
it. We may personate a number of characters at different 
times and make them follow in close succession if the 



INTRODUCTION. 341 

selection or scene is so written, or the construction of the 
original speech warrants, but we should not act them. The 
drawing of a dagger may be indicated, but there is no neces- 
sity of sheathing it. In the personation of Hamlet the re- 
citer can indicate the drawing of a sword and the stabbing 
of Pohmius, but he must not carry out the action to the ex- 
tent that would be appropriate to the actor. The reciter of 
a tragic part must not wear a sword or a concealed dagger, 
though they may be necessary to the actor. 

The actor must have the costume upon him, the scenery 
behind him, the support around him, and all the stage 
accessories at hand. If he addresses another character, 
that character must be there in appropriate costume to 
respond. He actually paints the pictures, and by the action 
of all the characters, together with the change of scenery and 
other stage effects, the drama, with all its transitions, be- 
comes a living experience to the audience. 

The personator draws his locations, scenes, characters, 
and accessories from the realms of the imagination, uses 
them for the moment to suggest the picture, and then they 
vanish without a literal accounting for, leaving their ideal- 
istic impress upon the minds of the audience. There 
should be no encroachment upon the actor's art by the 
elocutionist or orator. 

(3) Third Limitation. 

As a valuable corollary to the above, Mr. S. H. Clark of 
the University of Chicago adds the following in substance : 
We should not personate, even though we have the 
quoted words of a character, unless such personation 
is absolutely necessary to the thought or dramatic effect 
of the interpretation. 

In the sentence: "He said: 'Bring me my hat and let 
us take a walk,' " there is no necessity for the personation 
of the quoted words unless there is some special significance 



342 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

in the manner in which they were uttered. The same is 
true in the sentence, " They would all cry ; unclean ' at the 
sight of such a monster," if given in a colloquial, unim- 
passioned way. 

Again, in the case of a personation within a personation, 
the subordinate characters should not have the prominence 
of a distinct personation even though they are in quotation 
marks. For example, in the selection Connor we have the 
personation of the Captain who tells of the death of 
Connor's wife, and quotes her last words as follows : 

" That night Nora was taken ill also ; she grew worse fast. In 
the morning she called me to her. ' Tell Connor I died thinking 
of him,' she said, ' and tell him to meet me.' And my man, God 
help you, she never said anything more." 

Here the personality of the Captain, and not the voice or 
action of the dying woman, should be made prominent. 

In the personation of Cassius in the following lines from 
Julius Caesar (Act I, Scene 2) in which he quotes the words 
of Caesar, italicised below : — 

" Ay, and that tongue of his, tnat bade the Romans 
Mark him, and write his speeches in their books, 
Alas, it cried, Give me some drink, Titinius, 
As a sick girl." 

We think that the personality of Cassius should be pre- 
served and the words quoted should not be given in the 
voice or action of the sick Caesar, or as a sick girl. 

(4) Fourth Limitation. 

Another corollary to our general rule is given in what 
Mr. Clark terms " dramatic identification," which we here 
give in substance and place as our fourth limitation : We 
may use personative action when the intensity of the 
character or emotion supersedes the mental importance 
or narrative feature of the language. This is often seen 
when the speaker portrays a very vivid dramatic scene or 



INTRODUCTION. 343 

incident when the words are not the direct language of the 
character he personates. For example, in the following 
description of the Chariot-race from " Ben Ifur": — 

"Out flew the many-folded lash in his hand; over the backs 
of the startled steeds it writhed and hissed, and hissed and writhed 
again and again; and though it fell not, there were both sting and 
menace in its quick report." 

The dramatic intensity is so great that the speaker, 
though using the words of narrative, becomes so identified 
with the character and incidents that his gesture may indi- 
cate the movement of Ben Hur's hand as he wields the 
whip "over the backs of the startled steeds." 

So in the following lines from The Last Hymn : 

" Then the pitying people hurried from their homes 
and thronged the beach, 

O, for power to cross the waters, and the perishing 
to reach ! 

Helpless hands were wrung in terror, tender hearts 
grew cold with dread, 

And the ship urged by the tempest to the fatal rock- 
shore sped. 

She has parted in the middle ! O, the half of her 
goes down ! 

God have mercy ! " 

The second and last two lines are so emotive that they 
become a semi-personation, and dramatic identification allows 
the reciter to give them in the tones and action of one who 
witnessed the wreck. But the third and fourth lines require 
locative and not personative gestures. 

The student must consider all the conditions which pro- 
duce dramatic identification and not allow the exception to 
warp his judgment and cause him to violate the general rule 
laid down in our first limitation of personation. 



344 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

4. Action for Figurative Language. 

We should not use literal action to express figurative 
language. While this applies more particularly to oratory 
it is a strong point of criticism in recitation. It is a fault 
common to the young collegian and peculiar to the first step 
in speech-making or oratory. This is perhaps due to the 
fact that during this formative mental period he uses a 
greater amount of figurative language than the experience of 
more mature years will sanction. If he speaks of a " broad 
principle " he often makes a gesture indicating literal breadth; 
for " England rose in her might," his action indicates that 
nation rising bodily out of the sea ; " truth crushed to earth 
will rise again " he reduces to a literal crushing and rising ; 
for " lifting the veil of darkness from your eyes " he lifts a 
literal veil from his own eyes ; and for the " great heart of 
South Carolina " he places his hand on his own heart. In 
all of these cases the speaker has reduced the greatness of 
the figure of speech to the narrow limits of his little gesture, 
and deprived the language of its broader and more imagina- 
tive significance. A " broad principle " is as broad as the 
earth ; " truth rising " affects all mankind ; " England rose " 
in her strength of intellectual and martial power ; " the veil 
of darkness " is but a set rhetorical figure ; and there are no 
geographical lines by which the pulsating " heart of South 
Carolina " may be located. 

In all the above cases emphatic gestures may be used 
upon the emphatic words if the thought or emotion is 
sufficiently strong to warrant them, but never those gestures 
which indicate a literal carrying out of the figurative language. 

III. Requisites of Action. 

Following the treatment of the conception of action, and 
preparatory to the study of the elements or principles we 
call attention to the five most important requisites or quali- 






INTRODUCTION. 345 

ties of gesture, namely : Grace, Force, Precision, Sequence, 

and Economy. 

i . Grace of Gesture. 

By Grace of gesture is meant the ease and freedom with 
which movements are made, transitions effected, and re- 
pose regained. It comes of the harmonious action of all 
parts of the body ; it is the poetry of motion. It is that 
power so easy, so natural, that it charms by its very simplicity. 

There should be enough curve in all gesture for grace, 
but not enough for extravagance ; the want of at least slight 
bends makes gesture generally stiff and formal. Awkward- 
ness may be overcome by systematic and persistent exer- 
cise in aesthetic physical culture and technique of gesture, 
for any form of awkwardness, we have seen, calls attention 
from the discourse to the speaker. " Grace wins favor." 

2. Force of Gesticre. 

By Force of gesture is meant the energy and boldness 
with which movements are made from beginning to close. 

Gestures as to strength may be getitle, 7noderate, or i?npas- 
sioned. These results depend, in great measure, upon the 
velocity of the movements, which in turn should correspond 
with the thought, feeling or emotion expressed. The more 
majestic or gloomy the emotion the slower the movement, 
the more abrupt the utterance the quicker the movement, 
and the more explosive the passion the more instantaneous 
the movement ; tranquility, for example, requiring gentle, 
ordifiary description moderate, and rage impassioned move- 
ments. 

3. Precision of Gesture. 

By Precision of gesture is meant the proper timing of the 
movement from the beginning to the end. Gesture would 
better be awkward or too strong than untimely. A move- 
ment out of time in speech is like a note out of time in 
music. It mars the harmony or rhythm of action. 



34-6 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

This subject naturally resolves itself into five parts, 
namely, the Preparation, the Sweep, the Stroke, the Transi- 
tion, if there be any, and the Return, 

(i) The Preparation. 

It is quite as important to move the arms properly in 
preparation as to have a right position at the conclusion, 
for the eye often dwells longer on that part of the movement 
than on the finish. Often some of the strongest effects in 
oratory are produced by the poising or suspension of the 
hand in the preparation, as it were to hold expectancy. It 
is like the poise of a hammer in mid-air before the stroke, 
or the balance of an eagle when he is about to swoop down 
upon his prey. In no case should the audience be cheated 
of the stroke or culmination anticipated. In preparation 
the hand is usually relaxed and moves through large arches 
to the point where the sweep or expressive part of the ges- 
ture begins. The student should guard against the preva- 
lent fault of a too wide or out-of-the-way swing of the hand 
in preparation ; it is to gesture what flourish is to penman- 
ship — superfluous. 

(2) The Sweep. 

The sweep of gesture, giving the expression in direction, 
may be rapid or slow in velocity in accordance with the sen- 
timent, but it must always immediately precede the emphatic 
syllable. Additional impetus is given to the sweep by the 
spring of the elbow and the wrist. The longer the radius of 
movement, the longer the time usually spent in the sweep, — 
a movement from the shoulder generally requiring more 
time than one from the elbow or wrist. 

(3) The Stroke. 

The stroke of a gesture lies in the spring of the hand 
from the wrist. For this purpose, then, in nearly all ges- 



INTRODUCTION. 347 

tures the hand is reserved for the stroke. The grace of the 
finish lies in the easy movement of the fingers, which should 
occur simultaneously with the wrist action, or so nearly so 
that the time between them is scarcely appreciable. The 
strength of the stroke should correspond with the Force of 
the gesture, i. e., it should be gentle, moderate, or impas- 
sioned, according to the sentiment or emotion. 

Gesture should finish on the accented syllable of the 
emphatic word of that portion of the sentence. 

In order to gain the full effect of a gesture, the hand 
should be held in place a moment after the stroke. In 
many cases the thought may be emphasized by slight im- 
pulses upon the principal words that follow in a clause. 
This is done without renewing the preparation, by a slight 
impulse from the elbow. In the strongest strokes there is 
generally a slight rebound of the hand previous to its return 
to the side or its transition. 

(4) The Transition. 

When one gesture follows another immediately, instead of 

allowing the hand to go to the side, let it glide easily into 

the preparation for the next movement, at which point the 

suggestions regarding its sweep and stroke are the same as 

before. 

(5) The Return. 

When the gesture has served its purpose, and no other is 
to follow immediately, the hand should return easily, but 
directly, to the side, so as to avoid the extremes, first of 
drawing the hand in by some circuitous route and placing it 
away mechanically, and second, of letting it fall so heavily 
as to attract attention. 

4. Sequence of Gesture. 

By Sequence of gesture is meant the movement of the 
agents of physical expression in proper order. After the 



34-8 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

thought come the sparkle of the eye, the glow of the face, 
the animation of the torso, then the. utterance and gesture. 
The importance of this requisite will be seen at once if the 
speaker should reverse this order, giving the gesture first 
and ending with the expression of the face. 

5. Econo7ny of Gesture. 

By Economy of gesture is meant the use of just enough 
appropriate action to properly reenforce the thought. 

The Rev. Herrick Johnson, speaking on this subject, says : 
" Economy of gesture is just like precision in speech. You 
do not want too many words to express thought, but you 
want enough. Not two arms where one will suffice. Not a 
gesture for every varying thought, and not too frequent 
gesture for the same thought. For example, the digital 
finger is very strong in gesture if used with economy. If 
it is used now and then you can send the thought right 
down into the hearer's heart by shaking your fore-finger at 
him. But if you are shaking it all the time what does it 
amount to ? " 

It is a violation of economy that causes gestures to tire 
by their frequency. This may come of repeating the same 
gesture too often, or from a continued use of gestures even 
though they may be varied and well executed. On the 
other hand, a speaker often shows a lack of power by using 
too little gesture, or by using none at all. 



CHAPTER I. — CULTIVATION OF THE BODY. 

That the student may advance the more rapidly in acquir- 
ing and executing the principles of action to be treated in 
the next chapter, it is necessary that he cultivate the body, 
which is the agent of action. Herbert Spencer, in his excel- 
lent work on education, says: "We do not yet sufficiently 
realize the truth that, as in this life of ours, the physical 
underlies the mental, the mental should not be developed 
at the expense of the physical. The ancient and modern 
conceptions must be combined. Perhaps nothing will so 
much hasten the time when body and mind will both be 
adequately cared for, as a diffusion of the belief that the 
preservation of health is a duty. Few seem conscious that 
there is such a thing as physical morality." 
Emerson says, " The first wealth is health." 
There is nothing so universally desired as health; nothing 
so necessary to vigor and grace of bodily movements, and 
nothing so necessary to the availability of intellectual train- 
ing. Success in life depends quite as much upon energy 
as upon intellectual attainments, and sustained energy is 
impossible without health. Moreover, vigor and pliability 
of muscles are necessary to the best efforts in action, and 
these conditions are the outcome of health; and as delivery, 
of which action is an important part, is largely physical, the 
best conditions of body are necessary to the best delivery. 



SECTION I. — PHYSICAL EDUCATION. 

As mental education develops, harmonizes and intensi- 
fies the mental faculties, so physical education develops, 
harmonizes and strengthens the muscles of the body and 

349 



35° PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

places them under the control of the will. The body once 
under this control is more easily guided into the channels of 
correct physical expression. 

I. Health, Endurance, and Symmetry of Form. 

It is the purpose of Physical Education to acquire and 
preserve health and to develop power of endurance and 
symmetry of form. To best accomplish these results the 
student should place himself in charge of the director of a 
well equipped gymnasium, who is himself an anthropologist 
and a physician. He should find out what muscles and 
organs are the weakest, and then practice diligently such 
exercises as will best strengthen those parts. It often hap- 
pens that some vital organ has been weakened by disease, 
and it may require long practice before appreciable strength 
is gained. Work must be entered upon gradually and 
carried on steadily and with intelligence. Certainly those 
exercises should be taken which will best develop the chief 
factors of good health, the heart, the lungs, the digestive 
apparatus and the nervous system. Vitality which gives long 
life is more important than brawn. 

II. Muscular Control and Grace of Movement. 

It is also the purpose of Physical Education to develop 
muscular control and grace for the higher purposes of 
expression. 

The muscles of the body become unwieldy by inaction. 
The various exercises necessary to good health give flexi- 
bility to the muscles so that they more readily respond to 
the will and the feelings. As pliability of the muscles is a 
prime requisite of grace, and as exercise is necessary to 
pliability, it follows that the cultivation of the body is neces- 
sary to muscular control and grace. 



.ESTHETIC PHYSICAL CULTURE. 35 I 

SECTION II. — AESTHETIC PHYSICAL CULTURE. 

^Esthetic Physical Culture differs from the ordinary 
physical culture of the gymnasium or playground in that 
it has for its direct aim beauty and truth of expression. It 
consists for the most part, first, in relaxing exercises for 
freeing the joints and muscles from undue tension; and 
second, in the practice of such movements as will tend 
best to utilize expended energy. 

The former we call Relaxatio?i^ the latter Vitalization. 

I. Relaxation. 

Grace of bodily movement depends upon the proper con- 
trol of nerve force. This force depends upon proper relaxa- 
tion and rest. It is impossible to draw continuously upon 
the fountain of energy without opportunity for recupera- 
tion. The struggle for position and wealth, the cease- 
less toil of the student in his investigations, waste the 
energies and cause undue tension of the nerves. ■ To the 
conditions resulting from over-expenditure of vitality are 
attributable most of the ills we are heir to. This necessi- 
tates relaxation for the replenishment of vital force, as the 
expenditure must not exceed the capital stock of vitality. 
Nature's great restorative is rest, and sleep — 

" Sleep that knits up the ravell'd sleave of care ; 
The death of each day's life, sore labor's bath, 
Balm of hurt minds, great Nature's second course, 
Chief nourisher in life's feast." 

1 The theory of volitional relaxation of the muscles of the body preparatory 
to their " revitalization " for healthful and graceful action is an old theory. It 
was used by M. Engel, the German writer on action, whose work was published 
a century ago ; but not until it was re-christened " devitalization " in the Delsarte 
terminology, and associated with the physical exercises of that system, was it 
extensively used. We have no proof that Delsarte used it at all, — and, in fact, 
his daughter, Mdme. Geraldy, denies that it was ever a part of her father's phil- 
osophy ; though it comes very directly to the American public through one of 
Delsarte's pupils, Mr. Steele Mackaye, of New York. However, its efficacy, if used 
with proper moderation, is so apparent that we introduce it without hesitancy. 



352 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



But there are those who do not fully relax even in sleep. 
The muscles are tense, the body rigid, the nerves unstrung, 
the mind troubled and the sleep broken. In such cases 
nature's methods of relaxation should be assisted by volun- 
tary relaxation. By will-power one may in part at least 
withdraw the tension from the nerves and muscles of the 
body. In this process the nerve cells and the muscle fibres 
have time for rest and recuperation which, in turn, are con- 
ducive to sleep. Moreover this is an excellent means of 
freeing the muscles of the body for actional purposes. 



I . Centers and Radii of Motion. 

Preparatory to the relaxing exercises it is necessary that 
we call attention to the centers and radii of the limbs. The 
centers are the joints, and the radii are the sections between 
the joints. Each center is a pivot or a hinge for all that 
part of the limb beyond it, and the muscles of the various 
radii become the direct motive power in vitalization. These 
centers and radii are shown in the following diagrams : — 



Arm. ■{ 



Centers. 



Radii. 



Shoulder. 
Elbow. 
Wrist. 
Knuckles. 

Upper Arm. 
Forearm. 
Hand. 
Fingers. 



Leg. A 



r Hip. 

Centers. \ Knee. 
[ Ankle. 



Radit. 



Upper Leg. 
Lower Leg. 
Foot. 



^ESTHETIC PHYSICAL CULTURE. 353 

2. Relaxing Exercises. 
(1) For the Hands and Arms. 

a. Withdraw the vitality from the muscles of the hands 
and fingers, and shake them vigorously; first singly, then 
together. 

b. Extend the arms laterally to a horizontal position, 
withdraw the energy from the forearms, and let them hang 
vertically ; shake them vigorously, forward and backward, 
singly and together. 

c. Withdraw the energy from the arms, letting them hang 
lifeless from the shoulders. Swing them from side to side, 
by twisting the torso. 

d. Raising the arms perpendicularly above the head, 
withdraw the energy in rapid succession from the fingers, 
hands, forearms, and arms, letting them fall heavily, and life- 
lessly, to the side. Avoid the extremes of throwing them 
down, and putting them down ; let them return to the side 
by their own weight. 

(2) For the Feet and Legs. 

a. Extend the right foot forward, and withdraw the 
energy from it. As it hangs from the ankle, shake it. 
Exercise the left in a similar manner. 

b. Raise the right knee forward toward the horizontal 
position. Withdraw the energy from the lower leg, and 
shake it by a slight action of the muscles of the upper leg, 
and by swaying the body forward and backward on the left 
leg. Exercise the left in a similar manner. 

c. Poise on the left foot, and withdrawing the energy 
from the right thigh, swing it freely around the left by 
twisting the body at the hips. Exercise the left in a similar 
manner. Tip-toe on the strong foot, or stand on a stool or 
chair during this exercise. 



354 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

d. Extend the right leg forward at an angle of 45 °, with 
the muscles tense, then, withdrawing the energy in rapid 
succession from the foot, the lower leg and the upper leg, 
let them fall heavily but lifelessly. Exercise the left in a 
similar manner. Avoid the extremes of throwing and put- 
ting down the leg ; let it come down by its own weight. 

(3) For the Head, Neck, and Torso. 

a. Close the eyes, relax the jaw, withdraw the energy 
from the muscles of the neck, and allow the head to fall 
forward as in the nod of sleep ; then, by swaying the trunk, 
let the head roll in a circle on the shoulders. 

b. Do the same, bending the torso forward, from the 
hips, letting it rebound several times. Then slowly revitalize 
the torso, neck, jaw, eyelids, upper arms, forearms, and 
hands. 

II. VlTALIZATIOX. 

Having given exercises for freeing the muscles from ten- 
sion, and putting them into a state to admit of an easy flow 
of energy from joint to joint, we subjoin a complementary 
series of exercises, in reversed order which, if faithfully 
practiced, will result in grace and harmony of the movements 
of the body. 

I. Vitalizing Exercises. 

(1) For the Head, Neck, and Torso. 

a. From its normal position, move the head forward until 
the chin rests upon the chest. Return to the normal posi- 
tion. Repeat several times vigorously. 

b. Move the head backward as low as possible. Return 
it to the normal position. Repeat several times. Alternate 
with exercise a. 

c. Move the head as far as possible to the right, keep- 
ing the face to the front. Return to the normal position. 
Repeat several times. 



ESTHETIC PHYSICAL CULTURE. 355 

d. Move the head to the left. Return to the normal 
position. Repeat several times. Alternate with exercise c. 

c. Move the head forward until the chin rests on the 
chest ; then thrust it to the right, back, and left over the 
shoulders, vitalizing strongly the muscles of the neck. 
Retrace the circle by starting first to the left. Repeat the 
exercise. 

/. From the normal position of the head, turn the face 
to the right. Return to the normal position. Turn to 
the left. Return to the normal position. Then alternate 
the exercises. Repeat several times. 

g. With arms akimbo bend forward at the hips. Return 
to the normal position. Repeat several times. 

//. Bend backward from the hips. Return to the normal 
position. Repeat several times. Alternate with exercise £\ 

/. Bend to the right. Return to the normal position. 
Repeat several times. 

j. Bend to the left. Return to the normal position. 
Repeat several times. Alternate with exercise i. 

k. Bend forward, then move to the right, then back, then 
to the left, letting the upper part of the body describe a 
circle from the hips. Retrace the circle by moving first to 
the left. Return to the normal position. 

(2) For the Feet and Legs. 

a. Rise on the toes from the military position (heels on 
a line and the feet forming an angle of about 90 ). Hold 
the position a few seconds. Return to the mititary posi- 
tion. Repeat several times. 

b. Raise the balls of the feet, balancing on the heels. 
Hold the position a moment. Return to the military 
position. Repeat the exercise, and alternate with exercise a. 

c. Lift the right foot and thrust it forward parallel with 
the floor. Return to the military position. Repeat several 
times. Exercise the left leg in a similar manner. Alternate. 



35^ PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

d. Thrust the right foot laterally to the right parallel with 
the floor. Return to the military position. Repeat several 
times. Exercise the left in a similar manner. Alternate. 

e. Thrust the right backward full length and let it rest 
on the toe. Repeat several times. Exercise the left in a 
similar manner. Alternate. 

(3) For the Hands and Arms. 

a. Finger Movements. Clasp the right palm with the 
thumb and fingers of the left hand, placing the left thumb 
inside the right palm. Close the fingers until the forefinger 
is opposite and within one inch of the thumb, the middle 
finger even with the point of the thumb, the ring finger 
about one-half an inch yet further in, and the little finger 
still further in toward the palm. Let there be as nearly 
a perfect curve on the outside of the fingers as possible. 
Vitalize by opening the fingers gradually, the forefinger 
leading the movement and the others following in close 
succession. Exercise the left in a similar manner. 

b. Wrist Movements. Grasp the right wrist with the 
thumb and fingers of the left hand, placing the thumb 
inside ; draw the wrist in, closing the fingers as in exercise 
a. Let there be a perfect curve on the outside of the hand 
and fingers. Vitalize by first moving the hand from the 
wrist until it is in line with the forearm, then take up the 
movement at the first finger joints, and when these radii are 
nearly in line with the hand, proceed in the same way with 
the next two centres of the fingers ; in the meantime, the 
hand will have proceeded still further until it is depressed 
slightly at the wrist. That there may be the utmost grace 
in this movement, see that the radii move at the proper time 
and not in an angular way, and that all parts reach their 
destination simultaneously ; or, at least, so that the time 
between their action is not appreciable. Let this be prac- 



ESTHETIC PHYSICAL CULTURE. 357 

tised with each hand until they are strong, graceful, and 

perfectly under the control of the will, for much of the 
beauty and effectiveness of gesture lie in the correct man- 
agement of the hand. Exercise the left hand also. Finally, 
practise without holding the hands. 

e. Pivotal Movements. Place the point of the right hand 
in a horizontal position against the palm of the left; using 
the point as a pivot, lift and lower the wrist alternately 
several times. The movement will vary in different indi- 
viduals from 6 to 12 inches. Exercise the left hand in a 
similar manner. Then extending the arms to their full 
length, and keeping their points in line with some stationary 
object move the wrists up and down rapidly. 

d. Feather Movements. 

(a) Vertical Movement. Extend the arms parallel diago- 
nally downward, letting the hands hang loosely from the 
wrists. Move upward and downward through an arc of 
about 120 , the arms at full length and the hands floating 
after the wrists. When the change is made at the lowest 
and highest points of the arc, the pivotal movement is intro- 
duced. Practise this with the hands singly, then together. 

(£) Diagonal Movement. Place the arms at an angle of 
90 and repeat the exercise. 

(V) Lateral Movement. Place the arms at an angle of 
180 and repeat the exercise. 

(V/) Horizontal Movement (low). Place the arms parallel 
as in exercise a ; let the palms face each other ; move them 
outward and inward on this plane through 180 , letting the 
hands float after the wrists. 

(e) Horizontal Movement (medium). Extend the arms 
parallel and level with the shoulders, the palms together ; 
move them outward and inward as before. 

(/") Horizontal Movement (high). Extend the arms par- 
allel diagonally upward, the palms together ; move them 
outward and inward as before. 



35$ PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

e. Thread Movements. These exercises are designed to 
teach the important lesson of reserving the wrist for the 
stroke of gesture. 

(a) Diagonal Movement. Let the hands meet a few 
inches in front of the left hip, gently grasp with each thumb 
and finger an imaginary silken fibre ; then keeping the hands 
turned toward each other throughout the movement, grad- 
ually separate the arms, the left moving downward and 
backward, the right upward and forward, spinning out the 
thread. Open the hands at the end of the movement. 
During this movement step forward with the right foot, 
balancing the body with the left. Stepping with the left 
foot practice with the hands on the other side in a similar 
manner. Repeat alternately twice. 

(b) Horizontal Movement (low). Let the hands meet in 
front of the hips and separate as before, but horizontally, 
with no foot-movements. Repeat twice. 

(V) Horizontal Movement (medium). Let the hands meet 
in front of the shoulders and separate as in exercise b. 
Repeat twice. 

(d) Horizontal Movement (high). Let the hands meet 
above and in front of the head and separate as before. 
Repeat twice. 

f. Serpentine Movements. These are designed for general 
flexibility of all parts of the arm and hand. 

(a) Forward Movement. From their position of rest 
extend the arms parallel, with palms down and hands hang- 
ing loosely, to a level with the shoulders ; depress the wrists ; 
twist the arms until the hands point down ; move the hands 
parallel upward and backward until their tips touch the 
shoulders ; raise the elbows laterally to a horizontal posi- 
tion ; turn the palms forward ; push them forward in that 
position to the full length of the arms ; bring them to rest. 
Repeat. 



AESTHETIC PHYSICAL CULTURE. 359 

Learn to practise this exercise rapidly. 

(J?) Lateral Movement. From their position of rest ex- 
tend the arms laterally to the horizontal position, letting the 
hands hang loosely; depress the wrists ; twist the arms until 
the hands point down ; move the hands in until their tips 
rest on the shoulders ; raise the elbows laterally without 
moving the hands from the shoulders ; turn the palms out- 
ward ; push them outward laterally the full length of the 
arms ; bring them to rest. Repeat. 

(c) Infinity Movement. Let the right hand start with the 
right arrow in Fig. i and move twice around in the direction 
indicated. The inside of the ^__ m ^ 

wrist should lead to the farthest /'" 
extremity to the left, the outside { x'\ 

of the wrist throughout the re- •""" •-''' 

mainder of the figure. Start Fie ' L 

the left hand at the left arrow and move in a similar man- 
ner. Start them together, crossing the arms in front of the 
body. Move twice around in each exercise. 

g. Supine Movements. 

These are designed to exercise both the arms and the legs. 

(a) Downward Movement. 

Extend both hands, palms up, diagonally to the right as 
high as the hips. In making this movement energize first the 
upper arms, then the forearms, then the hands and the fingers. 
Take a good step forward as this movement progresses, 
carry the weight to the right, and balance the body with the 
left. In a similar manner step forward with the left foot, 
and move the arms diagonally to the left. Alternate twice. 
Learn to change rapidly and with ease. 

(b) Horizontal Movement. 

Repeat the preceding exercise with the hands level with 
the shoulders. Alternate twice. 



360 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(c) Elevated Movement. 

Repeat as before with the hands above and in front of 
the head. Alternate twice. 

h. Prone Movements. 

(a) Downward Movement. 

Practice as in the first supine movement, except that the 
palms are down. Alternate from right to left twice. 

(J?) Horizontal Movement. 

The same as the preceding exercise with the arms level 
with the shoulders. Alternate twice. 

(c) Elevated Movement. 

The same as the preceding, with the arms above and in 
front of the head. Alternate twice. 

(d) Swaying Movement. 

From the final position in exercise (c) sway the body to 
the right, at the same time stepping a good step forward 
diagonally to the right. Let the arms be nearly parallel and 
the palms down. In this movement the right hand leads 
and stops about one foot in advance of the left. Sway the 
body to the left in a similar manner, the left hand and the 
left foot leading. Repeat twice. 

1. Rotary Movements. 

Designed for flexibility of the wrists. 

(a) Outward Movement. 

Extend the arms to their full length in front of the 
shoulders, the palms down. Without twisting the forearm, 
move the hands upward and outward, describing as great 
a circle as possible from the wrists as a centre. Use 
no finger movement. A very slight forearm movement 
will add beauty to this exercise. Make the circle eight 
times. 

(J?) Inward Movement. Retrace the outward circle of 
the preceding exercise eight times rapidly. 






^ESTHETIC PHYSICAL CULTURE. 36 1 

/. Shaking Movements. 

These exercises are designed to energize the forearm, 
free the hands and fingers, and give strength to the wrist. 

(a) Horizontal Movement. Let the elbows rest by the 
sides, raise the forearms to a level, the palms facing each 
other, and then shake them horizontally. 

(b) Vertical Movement. Place the forearm as before 
with the palms down; shake them vertically. Try the same 
with the edges of the hands down. 

k. Thrust Movements. 

These are for the more vigorous vitalization of the hand, 
wrist and forearm muscles, approaching more nearly to free 
gymnastics. 

(a) Clench the fists tightly as the arms hang at the sides, 
then thrust open the hands vigorously with the fingers apart ; 
do this eight times. Do the same laterally (eight counts) 
with the arms projected straight and level with the shoulders ; 
then parallel in front, same height ; and then vertically. 

(b) With the hands in this vertical position and the palms 
front, hold the hands stiffly and thrust them forward with a 
vigorous wrist stroke (eight counts); do the same with arms 
projected front as before ; then laterally ; and finally with 
the arms at the sides and a little away from the body 
strike them inward and upward vigorously. 



CHAPTER II. — PRINCIPLES OF ACTION. 

We have seen that all correct expression must conform to 
law and that all wrong expression is a violation of law. Our 
definition of Elocution (p. i) shows that there are two chan- 
nels through which all the different states of the psychic 
being may be expressed ; these are Voice and Action. As 
the excellencies and faults of speech may be determined 
by a knowledge of vocal principles, so correct and in- 
correct gesture or attitude may be detected by the 
study of the underlying principles or laws which govern 
Action. 

In treating this subject we turn to the pages of Delsarte, 
the master-teacher of Action, and embody the main prin- 
ciples of his philosophy, guided, as best we may be, by the 
available publications and teachings of his pupils and repre- 
sentatives. Nor shall we exclude the time-honored truths 
and teachings of that older system of action recorded in the 
voluminous pages of Dr. Gilbert Austin's "Chironomia." 
It will be seen that space will not allow an exhaustive 
treatment of Austin or Delsarte in this volume. Our plan 
is to give general laws and outlines for safe guidance, leav- 
ing the fuller explanation and elaboration to the individual 
teacher or student. 

For an orderly subdivision of our subject we will consider 
first the Zones, Positions and Attitudes of the body, and then 
its Ififlections or Movements. 

The Zones of the body or any of its members are those 
sections or divisions which correspond to man's triune na- 
ture. These represent the inherent expression and furnish 
the key to the right use of any given agent of action. The 
Positions and Attitudes of the body or any of its raem- 
362 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 363 

bers represent that agent held at rest, but manifesting its 
Mental, Emotive, 1 and Vital Zones in expression. 

The Inflections or Movements of the body or any of its 
members show the transition of Zones from one Position 
or Attitude to another in expression. In other words the 
Inflections of the body are its gestures: these will be 
touched upon only incidentally in this section. 

In painting or sculpture the artist's skill is limited to the 
Zones, Positions and Attitudes ; but in the realm of actional 
expression the actor or orator adds Movements, and presents 
a great many living pictures and statues in a single poem 
or speech. 



SECTION I. — ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES 
OF THE BODY. 

The body as an expressive agent responding to the 
psychic states must correspond to man's three natures, as 
explained in Chapter I of Part I (p. 8). Here we may 
accept Delsarte's threefold division of the body and their 
correspondence as follows: 

^II.Mentai HeacL. 

MAN „-:'.'_ -III. Emotive Torso. "****->. BODY 

(ft Psychics ..-"'(an agent of 

Being) -J.Vital Limbs-" action) 

The Head, which contains that wonderful mental organ, 
the brain, is the seat of the mind, and consequently it 
belongs chiefly to the Mental nature. The Torso, contain- 
ing the heart, which is popularly recognized as the seat of 
the affections or emotions, is assigned to the Emotive nature. 
The Limbs (arms and legs), which are the most muscular 

1 In this subject as in the treatment of the vocal principles we retain the word 
Emotive in place of Moral, which is used generically in the Delsarte terminology. 
See p. 8. 



364 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

portions of the body, are the active agents of physical exer- 
tion, and their activity represents the condition, and is the 
manifestation of the Vital nature. 

The little movements of the head, such as the nod or 
shake, the glance of the eye, and the articulative move- 
ments of the lips, are Meiital in their significance. The 
writhing, twisting, swaying and bending movements of the 
torso manifest the stronger workings of. the Emotive nature. 
Walking, running, dancing, working, fighting, etc., show the 
stronger activities of the Vital nature. 

The above may be considered the generic divisions of the 
body which yield to further differentiation, as follows : 

I. The Head. 

This Mental division of the body also represents the 
Emotive and Vital natures, but as a whole the Mental leads. 
For the sake of convenience, we will consider, first, the 
brain, and then the face. 

1. The Brain. 

Anatomists divide the brain into three divisions : the 
cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the medulla oblongata and its 
associated organs, which, according to Delsarte, correspond 
to the Mental, Emotive and Vital natures, respectively. 

(1) The Cerebrum. 

This is the largest division of the human brain. It occu- 
pies chiefly the forehead and upper part of the head, but its 
folds overlap portions of the back part of the brain. This 
is generally conceded to be the organ of the mind, directing 
the perception, memory, imagination and reason, as shown in 
our psychic pentarchy (p. 10), and consequently it belongs 
to the Mental division. 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 365 

(2) The Cerebellum. 

The cerebellum, next in size, lies under the folds of the 
cerebrum, and occupies chiefly the upper and back part of 
the head. This division of the brain presides over the affec- 
tional, social and spiritual attributes, and is the especial 
impelling power of the Emotive nature. 

(3) The Medulla Oblongata. 

This section of the brain is situated at the base of the 
skull, where the spinal cord enters the cavity of the cranium, 
and extends upward to the folds of the cerebellum. It is 
the smallest division of the brain, and is buried deeply 
under the remaining mass. According to physiologists it 
controls respiratio?i and circulation, and presides generally 
over the vital functions of the body ; hence it belongs to the 
Vital division of man's triune nature. 

From the above it will be seen that the divisions of the 
brain so merge into and overlap each other that any ex- 
ternal lines, like those ascribed to Delsarte, dividing the 
cranium into its Mental, Emotive and Vital sections or 
zones for the arrival and departure of gesture must be 
purely dogmatic. It is an interesting fact, however, to 
know that a predominance of any one of these three divi- 
sions of the brain, at the expense of the other two, gives a 
corresponding shape to the head and stamps the predomi- 
nant characteristics of the individual ; but it is evident that 
an extended treatment of this phase of our subject, would 
lead us into the realm of physiognomy or even into the 
more uncertain territory of phrenology. 

2. The Face. 

No Agent of Action is more active and effectual in ex- 
pression than the face. It is turned toward the audience, 
and its controlling power supersedes all gesture and atti- 



366 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

tude. Perhaps because it is not seen by the speaker him- 
self, and he is less conscious of its expression than of that 
of his hands, arms, or feet, it usually responds more truth- 
fully than any other agent to the psychic state ; but, on the 
other hand, an exaggeration or contortion of facial move- 
ments is one of the most serious defects in expression. 

Delsarte divides the face into three zones and gives their 
correspondences as follows : " The forehead and eye are 
Mental ; the nose and cheek are Moral (Emotive) ; the 
mouth and chin are Vital." Here again we would say that 
the lines are drawn too exactly and that the pivotal points 
(p. 13), upon which the three natures shade and blend one 
into another are lost sight of. To our mind this theory 
of pivotal points is the key that will unlock many of the 
hidden beauties which dogmatic lines have heretofore con- 
cealed. 

The actual working out of the above classification has led 
many of those who essay to follow Delsarte into conflicting 
statements. Those who have published books on this 
subject have drawn the lines variously, some even placing 
the eye and others the mouth in the Emotive division. 
The eyeball as a passive organ of vision admitting the rays 
of light to the retina, is Mental ; but all must yield the 
point that the eye as an expressive agent, surrounded by 
lids and surmounted by brow is quite as responsive to the 
Emotive nature as to the Mental. The eyes weep or beam 
with gladness, as well as see. The mouth, too, is quite as 
Emotive as Vital ; it cries and laughs, as well as bites, 
masticates and articulates. Then let us make these the 
pivotal points upon which the three natures turn, respond- 
ing about equally to the two natures which each represents. 

As more distinct zones the forehead is Mental, the nose 
and cheek are Emotive and the chin and jaw are Vital. 

Figure 2 and the diagram following will summarize the 
foregoing statements : — 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 367 

(1) The Forehead. 

This is the distinctive Mental zone of the face. It is a 
recognized fact that a high, broad, symetrically-shaped fore- 
head indicates intellectuality. The larger portion of the 




Fig. 2. 

, Forehead 

,11. Mental-.--"" 
,, '' "--.Eye 

MAN ^'.' HI. Emo-hve .,_';'___ Nose and Cheek.. _..V/.V>> FACE 

(a Psychic \ X. .,--;'-"' (an agent of 

Being) \ ¥ „ >Mouth. _.__.--..' action) 

~~~--Xhin and Jaw...,'' 

cerebrum, which, we have seen, is the Mental section of the 
brain, is located in the upper and front part of the cranium, 
and its size is popularly judged by the appearance of the 
forehead. 

While we cannot change the shape of the forehead for 
purposes of expression, we can emphasize or conceal this 
zone by the way in which the hair is worn, thus materially 
changing the appearance of the speaker. The point of 



3^8 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

practical application of the above statements lies in the 
fact that gesture arriving at or departing from this zone 
indicates mental activity and appeals to the intellect of the 
audience. 

(2) The Eyes. 

As an expressive agent the eye includes the eyeball, which 
is passive in its nature, and the surrounding muscular parts, 
such as the Brow, Upper a?id Lower Lids, and the eye 
muscles, which constitute its active functions. 

Of the passive eyeball, according to Delsarte, the Pupil 
is Mental, the Iris is Emotive, and the White of the eye is 
Vital. The pupil admits the rays of light to the retina, 
and the optic nerve conveys impressions to the brain. We 
speak of a person of great mental strength as "clear- 
sighted," "far-seeing," etc. 

The Iris, or colored circle surrounding the pupil, presents 
a mixture of tints, the effect of which may be black, blue, 
brown, gray, hazel, etc. This is the most distinguishing 
characteristic of the passive eye; in describing the appear- 
ance of a person, we usually speak of the color of the eye. 
This is the part to which the enthusiastic lover indites his 
poem ; and in some way it is universally associated with 
the Emotive nature. 

The White of the eye is the part to which the muscles 
that move the eye are attached. Here, as elsewhere, the 
Vital is the servant of the other natures; the mind wills to 
see an object or a landscape, and the vital muscles attached 
to the white of the eye obey and turn the Mental pupil, 
camera-like, toward the object or landscape, which in turn 
is photographed upon the "sensitive plate" of the retina. 
Quick, vigorous movements of these muscles, flashing the 
eye to right and left, portray emotions supported by great 
Vital activity. Opening wide the eyelids, exposing an 
unusual amount of the white of the eyeball, gives an ex- 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 369 

pression of violence, which offers physical menace; while a 
partial closure of the lids, particularly the upper lids, con- 
cealing the white, gives a dreamy, sleepy, devitalized effect. 

We may here simplify and make more practical the numer- 
ous " attitudes " of the eyeball given in Delsarte's chart by 
calling attention to the law that the face, in different degrees, 
and the eyes turn toward the object referred to and seek 
the external plane significant of the emotion expressed. 
These planes will be fully treated in Section II. of this 
chapter. 

Of the active muscular parts organized about the eyeball 
Delsarte gives the Brow as Mental, the Upper-lid as Emo- 
tive and the Lower-lid as Vital. Broadly speaking, we 
may accept this classification, but let us not lose sight of 
that harmonious over-lapping and blending of zones which 
transcends all lines of demarkation. 

The changeful expressions of the Mental Brow are made 
by the action of those underlying muscles known as the 
corrugators. These muscles respond, also, to the Emotive 
and Vital states, but their movements are generally most 
significant of Mental action. According to Delsarte the 
Brows depressed and lowered in different degrees express 
calm reflection, full mental force, pain, agony, mental despair, 
fury, madness, etc. ; raised, they express excitement of mind, 
imagination, anticipation, anxiety, etc. 

The Upper Eyelids are raised in different degrees to 
indicate attention, ani?nation, intense thought, exultation, mad- 
ness, etc., and they are correspondingly lowered to express 
indifference, passional tendencies, prostration, insensibility, sleep, 
etc. ; The Lower Eyelids raised, express sensitivcneG to 
pain or pleasure ; depressed, they indicate insensibility to 
vital forces, fainting, death, etc. Excessive weeping, loss 
of sleep, dissipation, or overtaxing of the vital powers 
usually shows itself in the appearance of the lower lids and 
the adjacent parts below. 



370 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(3) The Nose and Cheeks. 

These plainly belong to the Emotive zone. The lower 
and more muscular part of the Nose is the most active in 
expression. The nostrils contracted, indicate cruelty, exag- 
geration, moral insensibility ; contracted and raised, produc- 
ing nasality (p. 107), they show contempt, irony, s?ieer, etc. ; 
dilated, they express excitement, strong emotion or passion. 
Different types of noses reveal different characteristics of 
individuals and peoples. For an interesting study along 
these lines the student is referred to the engrossing pages 
of the Italian Anthropologist Paolo Mantegazza. 1 

The blood rushing to the Cheeks, covering them over 
with blushes, or receding, leaving them "blanched with 
fear," are, beyond doubt, manifestations of the Emotive 
nature. 

(4) The Mouth. 

We have classified the Mouth as a pivotal point, respond- 
ing alike to the Emotive and Vital natures. While Delsarte 
assigns the Mouth to the Vital division, the treatment of its 
expressions, according to Geniveve Stebbins 2 and others, 
shows a greater response to the Emotive and Mental natures. 
True, it is an active agent of the Mental nature, articulating 
our thoughts into mental language ; but the mere process 
of articulation, calling into play the muscular movements of 
the lips, tongue and jaws, is a Vital function. To add the 
weight of other authority, Mantegazza says : "If the eye is 
the most expressive part of the face, the mouth is the most 
sympathetic. The yearnings of love and passion converge 
herer' "The soul dwells in the mouth," says Tommaseo ; 
and Lavater observes : "The mouth is the interpreter and 
organ of the mind and of the heart. In repose, as in the 
infinite variety of its movements, it unites a world of char- 

1 " Physiognomy and Expression," Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. 

2 See "Delsarte System of Expression," p. 161-164, E. S. Werner, X. Y. 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 37 1 

acters. It is eloquent even in silence." Austin, 1 in poetic 
strain, says: "The mouth is the seat of grace and sweet- 
ness ; smiles and good temper play around it ; composure 
calms it, and discretion keeps the door of its lips." It 
would seem that our classification of this organ of expres- 
sion places us at least upon safe ground. 

The action of the mouth is controlled chiefly by a cir- 
cular muscle which completely surrounds it, and ten other 
muscles which emanate from different parts of the face and 
converge toward the mouth. By the action of these mus- 
cles we have a great variety of expressions, such as the 
sneer, the laugh, the cry, the kiss, close-lipped firm7iess, and 
open-mouthed horror. Briefly stated, Delsarte's Chart gives 
the following : 

Lips closely shut —jirmness. 

" completely apart . . . . = astonishment. 

" slightly apart, corners of mouth depressed =grief. 
" " " " " raised =joy. 

" completely " " " depressed = horror. 

" " " " " raised = hilarity. 

" closely shut, " " depressed = discontent, 

" " " " " raised = approval. 

(5) The Chin and Lower Jaw. 

The muscular movements of these parts are most active 
in mastication and articulation, and they manifestly belong 
to the Vital division. Chins of different moulds character- 
ize different individuals, but in their interpretation physi- 
ognomists differ greatly. Perhaps Lavater strikes a basic 
law when he says, "A prominent chin always denotes some- 
thing positive, while the receding has always a negative signifi- 
cation." The muscles controlling the movable surfaces of 
the chin are clearly associated with those of the under lip, 
and their expressions correspond. The premonitory quiver- 
ing of the lower lip and chin is observable in a child when 

1 " The Chironomia," p. 122 (Published in 1S06). 



372 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

he is about to burst out crying ; while the hard, smooth, 
tightly-drawn chin shows great determination. 

A prominent Lower Jaw gives the impression of vital 
e7tergy, strength and determination. Miss Stebbins says, 
" The jaw slightly dropped expresses suspension of energy 
in force ; entirely dropped, paralysis of energy in force ; and 
brought rigidly up and forward, exaltation of energy in 
force." 

Perhaps the most practical lesson of this cursory survey 
of the face and its expressions is, that by these few princi- 
ples we may recognize those facial habits which often grow 
into facial contortions. The remedy for such faults is 
suggested in the right use of facial muscles in correct 
expression. This may be accomplished largely through 
the cultivation of the higher sensibilities. As we exercise 
our Emotive natures in moral or immoral channels, develop 
the good or evil of our characters, and live lives of purity 
or vice, so will the lines of nature's never-failing stamp 
come into our faces. With old age, wrinkles must come, 
but it lies in our power to make them the insignia of truth, 
virtue, and benevolence. 

II. The Torso. 

Delsarte's generic classification of the Torso, as Emotive, 
yields to the following specific subdivision : 

„_.II. Mental. Uppen.._ 

MAN ^-:'.'1_ III. Emotive.. JMiddle *l*_V-\> TORSO 

(a Psychic ""---.. ,--'''' (an agent of 

Being) "---J.Vital -Lower.--'' action) 

As zones for the arrival and departure of gesture, the 
truth of this classification is at once apparent. In a subse- 
quent chapter on the Technique of Action we shall also see 
the expression of these zones through their inflections or 
movements. 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 373 

I. The Upper Torso. 

This zone of the thorax contains the major portion of 
the lungs — that laboratory to which the blood comes for 
its supply of oxygen, which in turn is carried as a mes- 
sage of life to every part of the body. It is regarded in 
expression as the seat of honor, conscience, self-respect, philan- 
tliropJiy, patriotism, etc. " Hold up your head," means 
to raise and expand the chest, to have respect for one's self 
by emphasizing the Mental part of the torso, which gives 
one a manly or womanly bearing among his fellow-beings. 
A depressed, hollow chest indicates exhaustion, feebleness, 
intoxication, depression, humility, etc. 

2. The Middle Torso. 

This section, containing the heart, is universally recog- 
nized as the Emotive centre of the torso. It gives the 
throb to the pulse, impelling " the life-giving fluid through- 
out the body, as love feeds, governs, and directs our being." 
In any strong excitement or emotion the heart beats at a 
quicker rate; and thrills of joy or throbs of sorrow are the 
inevitable signs of this inward monitor of the soul. 

This is evidently the seat of the affections and the deeper 
emotions. There is no mistaking the significance of the 
following phrases: — "A joyous heart," "A heart full of 
love," "A sad heart," ' ; It will break my heart," "Then 
burst his mighty heart," etc. The expressive actions of 
all peoples in all countries testify that gestures arriving at 
or departing from this zone are Emotive in significance. 

3. The Lower Torso. 

The Lower or abdominal torso contains the stomach, 
liver and intestines, and is properly ranked as the seat of 
the appetites, physical instincts and lower passions. It 
corresponds to the Vital division. " Gird up now thy loins 



374 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION 

like a man." — Job xxxviii., 3. " She girdeth her loins with 
strength." — Prov. xxxi., 17. Any extension or emphasis 
in the bearing of this zone gives an unrefined, gross, vulgar 
appearance to the torso; and gestures arriving at or depart- 
ing from this zone partake of the same significance. 

We have seen (p. 24) that the action of the abdominal muscles 
is called into play in the forced expiration necessary to strong 
utterance. Delsarte's classification of this as the Vital part of the 
torso would seem an added proof of the efficacy of abdominal 
breathing (p. 31) as the projective part of vocalization. 

III. The Limbs. 

This Vital division of the body includes the Arms and the 
Legs in which are located some of the largest and strongest 
muscles of the body. As agents of gesture and attitude 
these are further subdivided into their expressive zones. 
We will consider : 

1. The Arms. 

Delsarte gives the zonal correspondences of the arms as 
follows : — 

.. II. Mental _Hand.^ 

MAN <---— IILEmotive Forearm „I---*> ARM 

(a Psychic ""~~--.. .---''' (an agent of 

Being) ~"---I.Vital._ _ .Upper Arm.--'' action) 

We trust that the truth and utility of these correspond- 
ences will be seen in the treatment which follows. 

(1) The Hand. — Its Positions and Attitudes. 

The Rev. Gilbert Austin in his "Chironomia" begins the 
chapter on the hand thus : " The positions and motions of the 
hand are so numerous, and may be so exceedingly varied by 
minute changes, that it would perhaps prove impossible and would 
certainly be a very useless labor to attempt to describe them all." 
He then proceeds to enumerate and illustrate some of the " posi- 
tions of the hands used by ancient orators," as described by 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 375 

Quintilian, which as a record of facts in the history of human 
expression is interesting and valuable. But more modern thought 
demands the discovery and mastery of the general laws under- 
lying and governing those numerous expressions of the hands, 
while their "exceedingly varied" movements must be left to the 
individuality of the speaker. 

While the Hand like any single agent of action or voice 
responds to all three of our psychic states, it is most signi- 
ficant of one, and that is the Mental nature. We write and 
draw pictures with the hand ; it points out objects seen by 
the eye. We enumerate upon the fingers. Deaf and dumb 
people talk with the hands. The mental act of touching 
the keys of a musical instrument is performed by the hands. 
In man, the most Mental of animals, this Mental agent is 
most delicately differentiated and articulated, giving the 
greatest mobility and skill in its use. "Animals would have 
been men had they had hands," exclaimed the ancient Greek 
philosopher Anaxagorus. 

To continue this zonal subdivision, we may say broadly 
that the ends of the fingers to the knuckles or second joints 
are the most Mental part of the hands ; from the knuckles 
to the third joints, the section upon which the ring is worn, 
the most Emotive ; and the thick part of the hand, contain- 
ing the stronger muscles, with which we grasp larger objects 
and exert greater force, the most Vital. These facts are 
significant in expression. A gesture lacking finger-move- 
ment lacks mentality ; while a mere movement of the fingers 
without the stronger action of the thick part of the hand 
shows a low degree of inherent or exerted vitality. 

Professor Brown has given a half dozen most interesting 
pages 1 showing that the Palm is Emotive, the Thumb which 
is the largest and most muscular of the digits is Vital, the 
Forefinger which points out objects is Mental, the Middle 

1 "Synthetic Philosophy of Expression." Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Publishers, 
Boston. 



376 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

and Ring Fingers which lie more closely together are 
Emotive; and the Little Finger, he states, is "sensitively 
Mental" Without entering into a discussion of these facts 
we will endeavor to show their significance as we proceed 
with this subject. 

Since the Hand, as a whole, is the Mental zone of the 
arm it should determine the meaning of each gesture. For 
the more accurate statement of facts we here turn to the 
pages of Austin, who published his work a half-century 
before Delsarte's formulations were made known even to his 
first pupils. We find, in substance, but in different order, 
and with many modifications and variations, a full descrip- 
tion of the following leading " Positions of the Hands " : 
Index, Supine, Prone, Reflex, Clasped, Averse (Vertical) and 
Clenched. 

Here, as before, let us send a gleam of light through the 
darkness and obscurity in which the truths of expression 
have been too often shrouded. A careful investigation 
reveals the following analogy between Delsarte's triune 
theory and Austin's empirical statements. 

_.. Index. __ 

Jfl. Mental^---'-'-'- Supine. % *% 

.♦♦** ""~~;-P«me.. ^-N 

..-■■' ..Reflex ' ^-"^ POSITIONS 

MAN y_'. -III. Emotive.----"" ~~~-~-=^ of 

(aPsychic\ ^-Z; -Clasped----" ...■' HANDS 

Being) '**». ""*-«.. . .-**'" 

5 *». --Averse -" ,- 

.Clenched • 

a. Index. (Figs. 3, 4 and 5.) This is perhaps the most 
Mental of all the Positions of the hand. The Mental fore- 
finger is emphasized and extended, 
while the other fingers and Vital thumb 
are closed in and retired, concealing 
the Emotive palm. (See Fig. 3.) The 
dominant significance of this principle 

Fig. 3. Index. . __ ,. T , . . m V 

is Mentality. In description of ex- 




ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 377 





ternal things it points out objects in whatever plane they 
may be located, and directs the mental vision of the audi- 
ence. It counts objects, enumerates facts, and designates 
points of argument. Turned over, as 
in Fig. 4, it adds greater emphasis to 
its directing power ; and in the ^nani- 
festation of greater vitality the Vital n e« 4. index, 

thumb leaves its resting-place above the nail of the second 
ringer and elevates into greater prominence, as in Fig. 5. 
In caution or reproach the index finger 
is sometimes shaken up and down ; 
in solemn warning it is held in a 
vertical position and points to a 
higher admonishing Power. The 
directing power of the Index hand 
is clearly recognized by all peoples, 
and the above analysis demands its Kg. 5 - Index, 

classification as a Mental agent of expression. 

b. Supine. (Figs. 6 and 7.) In the hand Supine the 
Mental fingers are extended, the 
Emotive palm is open, graciously 
revealing the truth, and the Vital 
thumb is elevated or depressed in 
proportion to the amount of vital 
intensity implied in the thought. 1 
The greatest movement in this gesture is that of the 
ringers, which we have seen are Mental. This is the most 
common position of the hand in speech, revelatory in its 

1 While visiting hospitals and morgues in search of truths Delsarte discovered 
that the thumbs of the dead and dying were depressed toward the palm, thus 
showing death or a low state of vitality — a fact of diagnosis well known to every 
educated physician of to-day. Possessed of this truth he was enabled to teach the 
artists of the Louvre the difference between a peaceful sleeping hand and that 
from which life had departed. The lesson which we gather from this discovery 
is that the gesture with which we would impart fervor and strength and inspire 
enthusiasm in others must have a prominence of this Vital member of the Mental 
hand. 




Figf. 6. Supine. 




37§ PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

nature and corresponding most nearly to the Mental states. 
Its significance is that of affirmation, 
welcome, assertion, asking, giving, conces- 
sion, submission, humility, etc., accord- 
Fig:. 7. Supine. ing to the plane in which it is made. 

Because of the many and varied inflections of the hand in 
response to individuality and to all the different shadings of 
thought and sentiment, there are many blends and modifications 
of these principles ; but the student should not lose sight of the 
main principles to which all these modifications must conform. 

c. Prone. (Fig. 8.) The Prone hand, like the Supine, 
extends the Mental fingers, the sustaining thumb and the 
Emotive palm toward the object or audience. It moulds, 
shapes, caresses and commands. Stretching forth, it locates 
territory, traces out distances, measures heights, and feels its 
way in darkness or blindness. We have seen that the 
Supine hand is revelatory ; the Prone hand is repressive. 
The Supine is affirmative ; the Prone is ?iegative. The 
Supine gives and receives ; the Prone rejects. 

When the hand approximates an angle with the forearm, 
it approaches aversion and enters the Emotive realm. It 
reproves, shows moral restraint, sup- 
pression, protection, be?ieficence and 
blessing. Love prompts us to re- 
strain or protect, and love is Emo- 

Figf.8. Prone. t[yQ j n ^ s i gn ifi cance> The OUt- 

stretched hands of the minister, at the close of a church 
service, is not an unmeaning benediction. The religious 
ceremony of the "la3 T ing on of hands" signifies blessing or 
the imparting of spiritual force. Held in an upright position 
and turned toward an officer authorized to administer the 
oath, thus showing all of each zone freely, it is the out- 
ward sign of sulmiission, solemnity and truth required by law. 
It will be seen that we have passed from the Mental into 
the Emotive division of man's triune nature, and that the 




ZONKS, POSITIONS AM) ATTITUDES OF BODY. 379 

Prone hand responds about equally to each ; hence we have 
placed it as a pivotal point in the scale. 

d. Reflex. (Figs. 9 and 10.) Here we have the palm, 
ringers and thumb all turned inward and directed toward 





Fig. 9. Reflex. Fig. 10. Reflex. 

self, signifying concentration, reflection or reference to one's 
own consciousness or feeling. The position of one or both 
hands Reflex, and held in a grasping or clutching attitude 
with the Vital thumb emphasized, the fingers apart and 
crooked inward, and the Emotive palm flattened as in 
Fig. 10, signifies self-menace, exasperation, or convulsion, ac- 
cording to the zone sought. If, for example, the Reflex 
hand seeks the Mental forehead or upper torso, it signi- 
fies mental or exalted concentration ; if it returns to the 
Emotive torso, it shows affectional emotion, the intensity of 
which will be indicated by its approach to the clutching 
position of Fig. 10; if it seeks a Vital zone, it represents 
emotion or pain aroused by the Vital nature, the degrees of 
which will be shown by the afore-named attitude of the 
hand itself. 

Both hands Reflex and crossed upon the breast convey 
the impression of humility, reverence, or self-abnegation. No 
less significant is the crossing of the Reflex hands upon the 
Emotive torso when the soul has left the "temple of clay" 
we knew and loved in life. 



38O PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

From the above it will be seen that this expression 
of the hand responds most fully to the Emotive nature 
and that its classification as an Emotive agent is fully 
warranted. 

e. Clasped. This position of the hands evidently be- 
longs to the Emotive realm. In hands Clasped the warm, 





Fig. II. Clasped. Fig. 12. Clasped. 

Emotive palms are brought together, and the fingers and 
thumbs are clasped as in Fig. n, or interlocked and 
clasped as in Fig. 12, as if to emphasize or press the palms 
closer together for more intimate and sympathetic com- 
munion. 

The significance of hands Clasped is that of prayer, snp- 
plicatio?i, adoration, or entreaty, the intensity and exact 
shading of which depends upon the vital energy of the 
hands themselves, the angle at which they are held with the 
forearm, and the zone sought. Hands clasped vigorously 
and at a sharper angle with the forearm implies greater 
strength and earnestness of the supplication ; clasped over 
the upper torso, a more Mental prayer ; and over the heart, 
a more Emotive entreaty. 

The hands are clasped and wrung in such emotions as 
deep sorrow, anguish, or remorse. This Emotive principle is 
recognized in the cordial grasp of the hand augmented by 
the vertical movement of the Emotive forearm in the hearty 
hand-shake of friendship. 

f. Averse. (Figs. 13, 14 and 15.) Akin to the Prone and 
yet an evident departure from it, is the hand Averse, or Ver- 
tical as Dr. Austin has named it, which occupies the other 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 



381 




Averse 



pivotal position in the scale and responds about equally to 

the Emotive and Vital natures. In 

this position the hand is at an angle 

with the forearm, while in the Prone it 

continues on about the same line of 

the forearm. The exact point where 

the Prone ends and the Averse begins 

is not to be marked by "hard and 

fast lines," — a fact that applies to 

all artistic blends and shadings in 

Elocution. 

The angle of the Averse hand 

varies in degree as shown in the ¥lg ' I4 " 

three accompanying figures. At an obtuse 
angle (Fig. 13), the hand may express simple 
admonition, or reproof; bent back to a greater 
degree (Fig. 1 4), it signifies stronger denial, 
aversion, repulsion, or loathing; or with 
fingers spread apart and the Vital thumb 
distended as in Fig. 15, it is the actional 
language of extreme fear, terror, horror, and 

amazement. The Emotive and Vital energy is further aug- 
mented by the use of both hands, and their direction in the 

plane will be regulated by the location of the offending 

object. 

From the above analysis it would seem that the Averse 

hand occupies indisputably the pivotal point to which it is 

assigned in the classification (p. 376). 
g. Clenched. (Fig. 16.) In the hand Clenched the 

Mental fingers are drawn into the hollow of the Emotive 

palm and locked under the strong clasp 

of the Vital thumb making a formidable 

weapon of attack. All the delicate articu- 
lations of the Mental and Emotive zones 

are suppressed, and the hand becomes a 

solid mass to be used in physical conflict. 




Fig. 15. Averse. 



|W 



Fig. 16. Clenched. 



382 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



The significance of the Clenched fist is universally 
recognized as expressing those strong passions in which 
physical activity is the dominant characteristic, such as 
hate, anger, revenge, defiance, etc., and we need no further 
warrant in classifying this as a Vital agent of action. 

That the student may see the Positions of the Hands in 
connection with the whole arm and torso we here subjoin 
some additional cuts. These will be of further service in 
the chapter on Technique of Action. 





Fig. 17. Hand Index. Fig. 18. Hand Supine. 






Fig. 21. 

Hands Clasped. 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 383 





Fig:. 22. Hands Averse. Fig". 23. Hands Clenched. 

(2) The Wrist. 

The Wrist is the Mental pivot or joint upon which the 
Mental hand moves. Its action is significant of mental 
emphasis. From the foregoing treatment of the hand we 
have implied two principal movements of the wrist, namely: 
a side-to-side movement and a hinge movement both of 
which will be more fully treated, with exercises for their 
cultivation, in our chapter on Technique of Action. 

(3) The Forearm. 

The Emotive Forearm lies between and connects a Mental 
and a Vital zone — a fact common to all Emotive zones of 
the body. This part of the arm is brought into prominence 
in prayer, supplication, wringing of hands, etc. The signifi- 
cance of the Clasped hands, which we have seen is Emotive, 
is intensified by the Position of the Emotive forearm. The 
ordinary clasping of the Mental hands is a conventional 
mental recognition of an acquaintance, but the strong, cor- 
dial grasp of the hand bringing into active play the muscles 
of the Forearm adds, as we have seen, a fervor to the greet- 
ing. The emotion is further increased when the Forearms 
press the object of affection to the Emotive torso. 



384 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(4) The Elbow. 

The Elbow has an in-and-out hinge movement which gives 
the emphatic stroke to the forearm, and a rotary movement 
which gives the Supine and Prone positions to the hand. 
This is the Emotive joint or pivot upon which the forearm 
moves. Ante-dating Delsarte, Samson, the teacher of the 
great French actress, Rachel, said: "The elbow is the soul 
of the arm." 

The position of the elbows is very significant in expres- 
sion. Held closely to the body they indicate self -suppression, 
fear, passiveness, and lack of cordiality ; thrust out with fore- 
arms extended, they show strength, power, self-assertion, and 
affcctional greeting ; held akimbo, in which the Emotive fore- 
arms are directed towards self, or even with folded arms, 
if the elbows are protruded, they assert arrogance, impudence, 
audacity, affection for self regardless of the rights or opinions 
of others. 

(5) The Upper-Arm. 

This is the Vital zone of the arm. In a symmetrically 
developed arm the largest muscles are located there. The 
ambitious athlete draws up his forearm and calls attention 
to the knotted flexor muscles of the upper-arm to show his 
progress in the gymnasium. " Strike out from the shoulder " 
is a well-known phrase signifying a heavy vital blow, which 
implies a strong exertion of the extensor muscles located 
in the Vital upper-arm. We draw up the weight of the body 
in climbing, and strike the heavy blows in vital conflict by 
the action of the muscles of the upper-arm. 

In expression the upper-arm is brought into play in all 
the larger, extended, sweeping gestures, signifying strength, 
courage, defiance, boldness, power, and other sentiments 
and emotions in which the assertion of vitality predomin- 
ates. 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 385 

(6) The Shoulder. 

This joint affords the greatest freedom of movement for 
the whole arm, including lines of direction from any one 
part to another within the radius of the circle described 
by its rotary movement. It allows the arm to elevate to 
the zenith, descend to the nadir, or sweep the broad plane 
spread out before us. 

As the pivot or joint upon which the Vital upper arm 
revolves in expression and exerts itself in strength, the 
shoulder must be logically classified as Vital. We carry 
heavy burdens upon the shoulder. It is used as a shield 
of defence when vital injury is threatened. "Atlas with the 
world upon his shoulders," " Broad-shouldered strength," 
"Put your shoulder to the wheel," "His burden shall be 
taken away from off thy shoulder" (la. x, 27), etc., are 
significant of strength or vitality. Drooped shoulders, the 
usual accompaniment of a sunken chest, indicate lack of 
vitality. 

On the other hand the movement of both shoulders them- 
selves independent of the extension of the arm in gesture 
such as the shrug, or their upward, forward or rotary move- 
ments in strong passion, has caused some writers to classify 
this as an Emotive center. Delsarte says: "The shoulder 
is the thermometer of sensibility "; some have translated this 
as Emotive and have been thus led into the corresponding 
error of classifying the wrist as " the thermometer of vital 
energy." We think that while the shoulder movements are 
manifest in the expression of passion or emotion, a deeper 
analysis will show that they simply mark the Vital intensity 
of the passion, which, after all, justifies our classification. 
The "patient shrug" of Shylock mean's simply " I have 
borne the burden of Antonio's attacks which are beyond my 
power to remedy." 

We have seen that the action of the Mental hand in greet- 
ing is intensified into emotion by the action of the Emotive 



386 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

forearm and elbow ; so the addition of the Vital upper-arm 
and shoulder movements gives vitality and intensity to the 
greeting. The child throws his arms around his mother's 
neck for " a good hug " which, expressed in technical termi- 
nology, means that he loves her with his Mental, Emotive 
and Vital natures, i. e. with all his mi?td, soul and body. 

2. The Legs. 

In harmony with the Mental, Emotive and Vital divisions 
of the arms, Delsarte gives for the Leg the following: 

(1) Zonal Correspondences. 

_.. II. Mental Foot., 

MAN <-;-'-'-' III.Emotive Lower Leg ..111--** LEG 

(a Psychic ""*'--.. T Tr tt , ---'''(an agent of 

Being) -I- Vital. Upper Leg.-- ac f ioQ) 

In a brief consideration of the above divisions of the Leg 
the student is referred to the previous fuller treatment of the 
arm and reminded of nature's well established analogy be- 
tween the hand and foot, wrist and ankle, forearm and lower 
leg, elbow and knee, upper-arm and upper-leg, and shoulder 
and hip-joints. 

Very briefly, then, the Foot and Ankle belong to the 
Mental zone of the Leg. The little convulsive movements 
of the toes and twistings of the foot in confused thinking 
show embarrassment. Tapping the foot upon the floor indi- 
cates mental impatience or irritation. The foot turning upon 
its Mental joint, — the ankle, — picks the steps and finds the 
path which is the Mental part of walking. " Then shalt thou 
walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble," is 
the Biblical promise given to those who " keep sound wisdom 
and discretion." 

The Lower-Leg and Knee are Emotive. The knees fre- 
quently shake in strong emotions. A " weak-kneed " person 
is one who lacks moral strength. The Lower-leg and Knee 



I 



/ONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 387 

are prostrated in the attitude of prayer or supplication. We 
kneel in reverence and in the more Emotive forms of obe- 
dience, love and subordination to others. The prophet's pro- 
clamation, "As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to 
me, and every tongue shall confess to God" (Rom. xiv. n), 
heralds the ultimate moral submission of all men. 

The Upper-Leg and Hip-Joint correspond to the Vital 
nature. The muscles of this part of the leg are brought 
into action in striding, running, climbing, or lifting heavy 
burdens. With a free movement at the Hip-joint, and a 
contraction of the extensor muscles of the thigh, the Vital 
kick is made. A walk which brings into play a more 
extended action of the upper-leg, is Vital in its signifi- 
cance. This is true in the Positions and Attitudes of the 
leg. ShylocJzs threat : " If I can catch him once upon the 
hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him," implies 
the destruction of Antonio's life. The mind easily pictures 
Touchstone placing his hand upon his thighs as he says : 

" I care not for my spirits if my legs were not weary. . . . For 
my part, I had rather bear with you than bear you." 



(2) Positions and Attitudes of the Lower Limbs. 

The Positions and Attitudes of the lower limbs are based 
not so much upon a philosophy of the expression of the feet 
themselves as upon the relative angles which give them a 
becoming appearance to the eye, and the location of the 
weight of the body which gives expressive poise and bearing. 
However, any serious violation of these angles and location 
of weight will negatively prove their efficacy and truth. 

Here again we turn to Austin's C/iironomia, which gives 
the briefest and, perhaps, the clearest record of the Posi- 
tions and Attitudes of the Feet and Lower Limbs. We find, 
numerically designated, four of each, which, by numbering 
the principles involved, we have reduced to two. We also 



388 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



add a third which is not noted by Dr. Austin, making in all 
three Positions and three Attitudes. 

Let us view this subject by the light of another diagram. 
As the harmony of Rush and Delsarte has been shown in 
the vocal principles, so this, our last triune diagram of 
Action, completes the harmony of Delsarte and Austin. 

^Second Att., Right & Left, For'd Incl'n 

r _I. Vital ^'_'__Third Position and Third Attitude v \ 

/ ^>First Attitude, Right and Left \\ Positions 

/ .' \ and 

MAN.£— _II. Mental-*.''- ..First Position, Right and Left -''^Attitudes 

Psychic \ "^Second Position, Right and Left S j 

Being) ^II.Emot,.ve <: SecQnd ^ ^ ^^ & ^ ^^ ^^ 



a. Positions. 

(a) First Position Right. 1 (Fig. 24.) In this Position 
the right foot is placed about one-half its length in advance 

of the heel of the left, so 
that a straight line pro- 
jected through and parallel 
with the right foot must 
strike the heel of the left. 
The feet are at an angle of 
about 75 with each other. 
The right foot is at an 
angle of about 37 , and the 

1 Throughout our treatment 
of Positions and Attitudes, the 
terms "Right" and "Left" will 
refer to the foot which is forward, 
e.g. First Position Right indicates 
that the right foot is forward and 
nearest to the audience ; First 

"- 75° -" Position Left, that the left foot 

Fig. 24. First Position Right. is forward. 







ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 389 



left at about 38 , with the line FF projected in front of the 
body ; the little swaying movements of the body to right 
and left may cause this line to vary about 15 , as indicated 
by the short arc in Fig. 24, without changing the position 
of the feet. 

Whilf the weight of the body is placed chiefly upon the 
left foot, as explained by Dr. Austin, we would insist that 
the preponderance of weight be given to the ball of the left 
foot, as indicated by the shading in Fig. 24. This distri- 
bution of weight and angles gives an easy, graceful bearing 
to the lower limbs, and secures the harmonic poise of the 
entire body. 

The significance of the First Position Right is that of 
mentality, self-poised and under control. It is used in ?iarra- 
tion, description^ didactic thought, and in the gentle emotions, — 
in short, whenever the speaker is in a normal Mental state, 
and not swayed by strong emotion or passion ; hence our 
classification of this Position as Mental. 

(b) First Position Left. 
(Fig. 25.) This is the coun- 
terpart and complement of 
the First Position Right and 
illustrates the same principle. 
The angles are the same, and 
the left foot is placed for- 
ward about the distance of 
one-half its length from the 
heel of the right foot, and 
the weight of the body falls 
chiefly upon the ball of the 
right foot as indicated by 
the shading in Fig. 25. 

Since the First Position 

Right and the First Position 7 s ° "'" 

Left are based upon the same Fig , 25. First Position Left. 




390 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



principle, their significance must be the same — that of 
ordinary mentality when the speaker is not moved by strong 
emotion or vitality. They are used interchangeably to avoid 
tedium and the fatigue of holding one Position too long. 

(c) Second Position Right. (Fig. 26.) In this Position 
the speaker steps forward toward the audience and throws 

the weight of the 
body principally 
upon the ball of the 
right foot, while the 
heel of the left is 
F lifted slightly from 

the floor and its 
weight is balanced 
upon the side of the 
ball, as indicated by 
the shading in Fig. 
26. 

A line drawn 
through the right 
foot would strike the 
heel of the left, as 
in the First Position 
Right. The angle 
between the feet, however, is now changed to about 90 , 
or a right angle. The right foot retains the angle of about 
37 with the variable line FF, and the left foot takes the 
remaining 53 of the right angle. 

This Position is more solicitous, more Mento-Emotive than 
the First Position Right or Left. It is used when some 
emotion is added to mentality, so that the speaker is impelled 
to step forward toward his audience that he may impart his 
thought with more friendliness and fervor. Hence this 
Position is placed in the diagram as pivotal between the 
Mental and Emotive divisions. 







Fig. 26. Second Position Right. 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 39] 




(d) Second Position Left. (Fig. 27.) This is the 
counterpart of the Second Position Right. The left foot is 
placed forward and 
receives the weight 
of the body, as indi- 
cated by the shading 
in the accompanying 
figure. A line pro- 
jected through the 
left foot strikes the 
heel of the right, and 
the relative angles 
are the same as in 
the Second Position 
Left. 

This Position is 
the complement of 
the Second Position 
Right. As shown in 
the triune classifica- 
tion, both are Mento-Emotive, hence their significance is 
the same, — that of entreaty, earnestness, appeal and 
similar states of the mind. The Second Position Right is 
more appropriate when the speaker steps forward to the 
right ; and the Second Position Left gives a more graceful 
appearance when he is addressing that part of his audience 
to the left. Either Position held too long will become 
monotonous. 

(e) Third Position. (Fig. 28.) This is the Military or 
Gym?iasium Position, which we add to Dr. Austin's list to 
meet some requirements omitted in his treatment of this 
subject. 

In this Position the heels are on a line and may be placed 
together or a few inches apart. The feet are at an angle of 
about 75 for expressive purposes, though they are placed 



Fig 1 . 27. Second Position Left. 



392 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



at a greater angle in the Gymnasium or on the Military 
drill-ground, as already explained in the vitalizing exercises 

for the feet and legs (p. 
355). The bisecting line 
FF varies as in the other 
Positions. 

The weight of the body 
is placed about equally 
upon the two feet and is 
about evenly distributed 
throughout their length. 

This is the Normal basic 
Position corresponding to 
Delsarte's JVormo- Normal, 
and simply represents the 
feet bearing the Vital weight 
of the body without any 
attempt at Mental or Emo- 
tive expression ; hence we 
have classified it as the 
Vital. This Position is often assumed in childhood and in 
old age, when it requires greater vital exertion to stand 
unsupported. It is rarely used upon the platform or stage 
except in a personative sense, and is then assumed to repre- 
sent servitude, humility, feebleness, old age, etc. We would 
not expect a very strong speech from one who assumed the 
Third Position upon the rostrum. 




Fi?. 28. Third Position. 



b. Attitudes, 
(a) First Attitude Right. (Fig. 29.) An Attitude is a 
Position extended and enlarged. The First Attitude Right 
is similar to the First Position Right, except that the right 
foot is placed about its own length in advance of the left, 
making a broader base, and giving a firmer, stronger position 
to the lower limbs. The lines, angles and weight of the 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF I50DY. 393 




body are the same, as will be seen in Fig. 29, but it indicates 
more strength and intensity 
of expression. It is used 
in the expression of grand, 
bold, lofty, herdic, or impas- 
sioned oratoric thought when 
the speaker is aroused to 
greater physical strength 
and his thought is sustained 
by greater vigor of body ; the 
broader base is necessary to 
the bolder action. Hence 
our classification of this Atti- 
tude as pivotal, responding 
about equally to both the 
Mental and Vital natures. 

{b) First Attitude Left. 
(Fig. 30.) This is the First 
Position Left extended into 
an Attitude. The lines and 
angles are the same as 
those just described, as 
will be seen by reference to 
the accompanying figure. 

The First Attitude Left 
is the counterpart of the 
First Attitude Right (Fig. 
29). The left foot is placed 
forward and the right re- 
ceives the greater weight. 
The distance between the 
feet in either case varies 
according to the intensity 
of the thought or vitality 
moving the speaker. 



Figf. 29. First Attitude Right. 




Fig*. 30. First Attitude Left. 



394 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



The two forms of the First Attitude are significant of the 
same states of mind and body, and are placed at the pivotal 
point in the scale, responding to the Mental and Vital 
natures. Like the First and Second Positions they may 
be used interchangeably. 

(V) Second Attitude Right, Forward Inclination. There 
are two forms of this Attitude, namely : Forward Incli?iation 
and Backward Inclination. 

The Forward Inclination of the Second Attitude Right 
(Fig. 31) is based upon the Second Position Right. The 

lines and angles are 
the same, but the right 
foot is placed about 
twice its length in ad- 
vance of the left, and 
receives the greater 
part of the weight of 
the body, though the 
left foot is planted 
firmly, and also re- 
ceives varying pro- 
portions of the weight. 
The right knee is 
bent, and the feet 
are at about a right 
angle with each other, 
though this varies 
somewhat according 
to the length of the 
step and the distribu- 
tion of the weight of 

Fig. 31. Second Attitude Right, Forward Inclination. . v hodv This is 

shown by the dotted lines representing the left foot in 
Fig. 31. The greater the weight placed upon the right 
foot, the more obtuse becomes the angle. 







ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 395 



It will be readily seen that this Attitude is intensely 
vital and aggressive, and represents the Vital nature more 
strongly than any other. It is used in the expression of 
courage, defiance, aggression and strength} 

(d) Second Attitude Left, Forward Inclination. There 
are also two Inclinations of the Second Attitude Left, 
namely : the Forward and the Backward. 

The Forward Inclination of this Attitude (Fig. 32) is 
based upon the Second Position Left (Fig. 27). The left 
foot is placed two or 
three times its length 
in advance of the 
right, the weight is 
thrown heavily upon 
it, and the left knee 
is bent, throwing the 

1 The posture of Kneel- 
ing, which expresses //#/, 
tenderness, solicitude, or 
prayer, is based upon the 
Second Attitude, Right 
and Left, Forward Incli- 
nation. It represents a 
prostration of the emotive 
knee and lower leg (p. 
382), and a corresponding 
submission of vitality to 
spirituality. Strength 
breaks into submission ; 
both exemplify the same 
principles, just as joy and 
sorrow have some com- 
mon elements of expres- 
sion (p. 177). 

The student will observe that we are not attempting to record all the 
attitudes and postures that the human body may assume in response 
to the physical location of things ; we are simply classifying the princi- 
ples involved in oratoric and dramatic expression. 




•- 90_ - 

Figf. 32. Second Attitude Left, Forward Inclination. 



396 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



torso forward. The lines and angles have all been explained 
in converse order under the Second Attitude Right, but 
they are shown in the accompanying figure. This and the 
preceding Attitudes represent great strength and vitality, 
and are therefore placed under the Vital division. Their 
significance is the same, and they occur interchangeably 
according to the location of the object of solicitude or the 

opposing force against which the 
aggression- and strength are pro- 
jected. 

In the rendition of a dramatic 
selection demanding the intensity 
implied in the Second Attitude 
Right and Left, the student 
should assume the former if the 
object or per- 
son causing 

1 1 a this intensity 

/ I be on his right, 

/ and the latter, 
/ if the object 
/ be on his left. 
The same is 
true of the 
Kneeling post- 
ures Right and 
Left. 

Fig. 33. Second Attitude Right, Backward Inclination. 




(e) Second Attitude Right, Backward Inclination. The 

Backwa?-d Inclination (Fig. 33) of the Second Attitude Right 
is based upon the Forward Inclination just described, and 
is indicated by the lines CD, HE, in the figure above. The 
weight is thrown back chiefly upon the left leg, the left knee 
is bent, and the feet take the angle AB, HE, The right 



ZONKS, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF BODY. 397 



foot varies in position, as indicated by the dotted lines, 
according to the distribution of the weight of the body. 
The more weight upon the left foot, the smaller will be the 
angle. 

This evidently belongs to the Emotive class, to which it 
is assigned. It is the opposite of the strong aggressive 
Forward Inclination and is used in the expression of such 
defensive emotions as awe, amaze- 
ment, /car, dread, terror, horror, 
etc. 

(/) Second Attitude Left, 
Backward Inclination. The 
Backward Inclination (Fig. 34) 
of the Second Attitude Left is 
based upon the Forward Inclina- 
tion which is shown by the lines 
CD, EH. The 

right knee is A 

bent and the I 1 

right foot 
turns to the 
line AB, while 
the left foot 
changes, as 
the dotted 
lines show, 
according to 
the distribu- 
tion of the 

weight of the body already explained. This is the converse 
of the Backward Inclination of the Second Attitude Right and 
is used reciprocally with it according to the location of the 
object which inspires the fear, dread, defense, or horror, etc. 

In expression the torso, arms and head must correspond 
with these Positions and Attitudes of the lower limbs. In 




«> 



Fig. 34. Second Attitude Left, Backward Inclination. 



398 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



practicing, the student should keep in mind throughout a 
genuine realization of the thought or emotion implied. 

(g) Third Attitude. (Fig. 35.) This is simply the Third 
Position extended; the feet are placed farther apart and 

the weight, lines and 
angles continue the 
same. 

The Third Atti- 
tude evidently be- 
longs to the Vital 
division and is used 
in a personative 
sense to express 
snobbishness, coarse- 
ness, vulgarity, self- 
assertion, etc. This 
Attitude of the legs 
is a fit accompani- 
ment to the arms 
akimbo which, we 
have seen (p. 384), 
is the expression of 
impude?ice and self- 
assertion regardless 
of the rights or opinions of others. This is the habitual 
attitude of such characters as Shakspeare's fack Falstaff, 
and is not less significant in the modern snob, who, by this 
attitude, simply presents the Vital side of his nature without 
a proportional balance of emotion and mentality. It is used 
also with slightly bent knees in steadying one's self on 
board a lurching ship or moving vehicle. 




Fiff. 35. Third Attitude. 



To summarize the foregoing principles for convenient 
reference, we here introduce a general diagram of the sub- 
ject, which, like that of the Vocal principles (p. 87), is given 
in the reversed order from the individual diagrams. 



ZONES, POSITIONS AND ATTITUDES OF liODV. 399 



IV. Tabular View of Zonal Correspondences. 

..Cerebrum Mental... 

/ Brain,-::'.". Cerebellum _Emotive,\ 

I / """---Medulla Ob .Vital \\ 



II.HEAD< Forehead 

""S, ^'.Eyes .- 

'•JFACE^-r-'-.'.'.'.'. Nose & Cheek.. /.-...Emotive.-'' / 



>Mental .:>MAN 



■--Mouth.. 

** Chin & Jaw.. 



>Vital... 



,, Upper _ Mental.-,. 

I.TORSO.>'-'-'.'--.Middle Emotive... "."...> MAN 

"--Lower. __ ..Vital --*" 



Index 

/Supine -.—^Mental... 

( v'^Prone.. ..<--'"" 

Hands/:'... Reflex.. ['*-. 

'ly-Clasped..---;;^ 
\\A verse..,--' 
'^Clenched " 



Emotive 
Vital / 



Arm u 



>MAN 



-.Wrist Mental... 

N Forearm... __ **% 

\Elbow.__. —"."---".■".-------.---—Emotive ^MAN 

\Upper Arm 

'.Shoulder. 



:= .Vital • 



1 1. LIMBS.' 



,ad AU..R.& L.,For'd— , 

/ 3d Pos. &-3d Att AVital — i 

/'_'_'.ist Att.. Right & Left.../ \ 

F eet ^>-.ist Pos., Right & Left_A Ment alJ 



\\2d Pos., Right & Left..y 
\ 2 d Att., R. & L., Back'd/ 



'Emotivex \\ 



.-/MAN 



.ega-— Ankle.... Mental -'' // 

■V, \Lower Leg / / 

\\\,, ""~Ii::r:=-Emotive.' ,' 
»\\Knee 

^pper Leg / 

•Hip... ".'-V/.V-v.^vital. / 



400 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

SECTION II. — INFLECTIONS OF THE BODY. 

In the foregoing section we have treated more particularly 
of the Zones, Positions and Attitudes of the body, and 
only incidentally of its Movements or Inflections. It now 
becomes necessary to inquire into the Direction of the 
Movements or Inflections, the Planes in which they are to 
circulate and the Distances or Extension indicated by these 
Movements. 

I. Planes of Gesture. 

To bring our subject tersely and at once before us let us 
quote the following reported statements of Delsarte: — "In 
this world there are two Centers, toward which, from which, 
or with which, everything moves. These are: — 

i. The center of gravity, immediately of the earth; re- 
motely of the universe. 

2. The human center found within ourselves, the center 
of the Being or Ego" 

To these statements Mrs. Laura J. Tisdale adds the fol- 
lowing corollary which will be found most useful in the 
interpretation of the various combinations and blends of 
meaning in applied Gesture: — "Each object about us — 
animate or inanimate — when related to ourselves, becomes 
a center toward which, from which, or with which our ges- 
tures necessarily move." 

Each of these centers mentioned by Delsarte implies 
a globe: — that upon which we stand, and that about us 
which we carry, as it were, upon our shoulders. 

So far as our relation to the earth is concerned, it is 
limited to the sky above us, the horizon around us, and 
"the earth beneath us"; so that in expression this becomes 
practically the globe above us — the realm in which we 
"live, and move, and have our being." This globe may be 
divided into three Zones or Planes as follows : • — i. The 



INFLECTIONS OF THE BODY. 



4OI 



Horizontal Plane, or the Plant of Equality ; 2. The Elevated 

Plane or Plane of the Superior; 3. The Downward Plane or 
Plane of the Inferior. 

Adopting this more recent and approved terminology, we 
do no violence to the progress of thought in reproducing 
the following familiar cut from Austin's Chironomia. 




Fig. 36. 



1. Plane of Equality. 

Let the horizontal line HH represent about the middle of 
the Plane of Equality. This is man's Normal or ordinary 
zone in which his personality meets and deals with his 
fellow-man and the material things about him. In this he 
locates his broad fields, the institutions and industries of 



402 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

his country, and the nation which he upholds. Here he 
addresses his fellow-citizens with whom he holds com- 
mercial and social intercourse. 

2. Plane of the Superior. 

The horizontal line EE represents about the center of the 
Plane of the Superior. This is the realm of the ideal, the 
high, "the good, the true and the beautiful." Hope, faith, 
love, beneficence, patriotism, triumph and liberty require gesture 
in this Plane. It is the imaginative ana" poetic Plane. 
At a more elevated angle it represents Heaven, the "many 
mansions" of the Blest, the throne of God. 

3. Plane of the Inferior. 

The line DD represents about the middle or lower sec- 
tion of the Plane of the Inferior. Gestures putting down 
that which is low and contemptible reach their culminating 
stroke in this Plane. Here are located gloom, doubt, fear, 
sadziess and the uncertainties of life. Malevolence, hate, reve?ige 
and the evil passions range in this Plane. The Hades of 
Da?ite and the Hell of Milton are pictured here. It is the 
abode of the Evil One. 

It matters little how theological and psychological thought 
may change with each succeeding age, the above analogies 
are so fixed in the nature and order of things, and are so 
deeply rooted in human nature among all peoples, that they 
will hold good for the practical purposes of expression. 

II. Direction of Gesture. 

The three states of the Being are manifested not only 
by the Zones, Positions and Attitudes of the body, but 
through three modes of Motion or Gesture which Delsarte 
terms Eccentric, Concentric, and Normal or Poised} 

1 We prefer Professor Brown's use of the word Poised as conveying a clearer 
meaning in the sense in which Delsarte uses the word Normal. The terms 



INFLECTIONS OF THE BODY. 403 

I . Eccentric. 

Eccentric Movement is motion from a center outward. 
As a very broad and liberal classification we may here 
accept Delsarte's classification of the Eccentric as Vital. 
A stroke outward, inflicting a blow, is Eccentric in direction, 
and Vital in significance. Any Mental, Emotive or Vital 
power within, bursting through its environment and express- 
ing itself in Eccentric action, simply reveals its vitality or 

life. 

2. Concentric. 

Concentric Movement is Motion from without in, or toward 
a center. This is reflective in its nature, and corresponds 
to the Mental state. We receive external impressions 
through the five senses, — sight, hearing, smell, touch, and 
taste; these impressions are first recorded in the brain; the 
intelligence is flashed along the nerves, and the hands, in 
full accord with the nerves, seek the Mental, Emotive, or 
Vital zone affected by the external influence. The direction 
of the gesture is Concentric and primarily Mental. 

3. Poised. 

Poised or Normal Movement is simply balanced or cen- 
tered motion. Poised movements are horizontal and are 
neither Eccentric nor Concentric relative to the earth; they 
are motions from right to left, neither coming nearer nor 
departing further from the human center, hence they are 
neither Eccentric nor Concentric to the body. In short, 
they are Poised in relation to both the earth center and the 
Ego center. They have more to do with the relation of one 
external object to another than with the psychic states of the 
speaker, though in certain degrees they express mentality, 
emotion, or vitality. 

Eccentric, Concentric, and Poised correspond to and have the same significance 
as Centrifugal, Centripetal, and Balanced Force used in astronomical termi- 
nology. 



404 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

III. Extension and Distance of Gesture. 

With the above facts before us we may determine the 
Extension and Distance within the globe about us as implied 
by the combination of Planes and Direction of Gesture. 
These are expressed in relative geometrical terms as follows : 
Lefigths, Breadths, Heights, and Deaths. 

An Eccentric gesture from any given zone of the body 
toward any object in the Plane of Equality ; or a correspond- 
ing Concentric movement toward the Ego, gives the Lengths. 

A gesture from right to left, or left to right, and hence 
Poised relatively to the Earth center and Ego center, gives 
the Breadths. 

In Fig. 36 the vertical territory assigned to the Lengths lies 
between the lines ff and qqq on either side ; that assigned to the 
Breadths lies between qqq and the dotted lines on either side. 

An upward gesture, Eccentric relative to the Earth center, 
and Poised with reference to the Ego gives the Heights. 

A downward gesture which is Concentric to the Earth 
and Poised as to the Ego gives the Depths. 

To illustrate further; a gesture from the speaker toward 
any object in the Plane of Equality measures the Distance 
in Lengths ; a gesture directing the attention from any one 
point to another in the Plane of Equality shows Distance in 
Breadths ; a gesture from a lower to a higher Plane gives 
Distance in Heights ; a gesture from the Plane of Equality 
to the Plane of the Inferior, or from any higher to a lower 
Plane, measures Distance in Depths. 

There are also combinations of these. A gesture from 
left to right in the Plane of the Superior gives Breadths in 
Heights ; in -the Plane of the Inferior, Breadths in Depths. 
A gesture on the right or left from a lower to a higher Plane 
gives Heights i?i Breadths ; from a higher to a lower, Depths 
in Breadths. Adding the diagonal Directions we have an 
almost endless variety. 






INFLECTIONS OF THE BODY. 405 



IV. Practical Conclusions. 

In the analysis and study of any selection or speech the 
student should keep in mind the harmony of all these prin- 
ciples. That expression which grows out of the Mental 
nature will find its response in the activities of the Mental 
Agents of action. In the opening lines of Shakspeare's 
greatest of Mental soliloquies, Hamlet may stand in the 
First or Second Position; his Index or Reflex, hand taking 
a Concentric Direction, rests upon his upper torso, and his 
head is bowed forward emphasizing his forehead as he utters 
the words "To be or not to be, that is the question." 

That expression which springs out of the Emotive nature 
would find its natural channel in the harmonious action of 
the Emotive Agents. In the attitude of earnest, fervent 
prayer, the knees are bent, the lower leg is prostrated, the 
hands are clasped over the heart in the middle torso, the 
elbotvs are extended, and the emotive part of the face is 
turned upward toward Heaven. 

Any expression which is impelled by the Vital nature 
must show a predominant activity of the Vital Agents. In 
the attitude of striking a blow in vital conflict the lower 
limbs assume the Forward Inclination of the Third Attitude, 
the weight of the shoulder is thrown forward, the fists are 
clenched, the muscles of the upper arms are knotted, and the 
chin diiidjaw are extended toward the enemy. 

For the guidance of the student in the application of 
these principles of action we here subjoin a table of a 
dozen combinations giving the seven Positions of the 
Hands with at least one of each subdivision of Extension, 
Direction, Zone and Plane. This table might be continued 
almost ad infinitum by adding the expressions of the Face, 
Inclinations of the Head and Torso, and the Positions and 
Attitudes of the Lower-limbs, and making the combinations 
of each with all the others. 



4o6 



PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



Thought, Feeling, 

or 
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INFLECTIONS OF THE BODY. 407 

To further facilitate the use of this table we give twelve illus- 
trations numbered correspondingly, containing the thought 
or emotion expressed by each combination. 

1. "There stands the man who did this deed." 

2. " Let me see — O, now I recall the name and the circum- 
stances." 

3. " May God's blessing rest upon this people now and ever- 
more." 

4. " Am I a coward? " " Thus conscience does make cowards 
of us all." — Shakspeare. 

5. "God be our help." — Whittier. "O God," she cries, 
"help Bregenz and bring me there in time!" — Proctor. 

6. "Down with the slaves!" — Knowles. "A bastard soils, 
profanes the English throne." — Schiller. 

7. " I defy the honorable gentleman." " My answer would 
be a blow." — Grattan. " Inhuman wretch, take that ! and that ! 
and that ! " 

8. " O, I am poisoned ! " 

King John. There is so hot a summer in my bosom, 
That all my bowels crumble up to dust. Shakspeare. 

Falstaff. " Give me a cup of sack, . . . you rogue, there's 
lime in this sack ! " — Shakspea?-e. 

9. "Out of my sight, thou demon of bad news !" — Aldrich. 
" Hence, horrible shadow ! unreal mockery, hence ! " — Shaks- 
peare. 

10. " Climb up those rocks and scale yon ivied wall." " I love 
the sea when it flings its foam up to the stars." — Halm. 

11. " Ah ! and behold, there rolls the sea." — Habn. " Within 
our territory, stretching through many degrees of latitude and 
longitude we have the choice of many products and many means 
of independence." — Story. 

1 2. " And then, looking over her shoulder with her whole brave, 
womanly heart in her swimming eyes, she put out her hand and 
said, * Come along, Dave ! ' " — Kate Douglas Wiggin. 



CHAPTER III. — TECHNIQUE OF ACTION. 

That the student may have ample practice in the principles 
of action, we here give a series of exercises in technique of 
action. 

These are given not for the physical culture implied in 
them, but for their expressional value. To avoid the mechani- 
cal or inexpressive features that are often seen in exercises 
in technique, the student should keep in mind the thought or 
feeling implied in the various movements. In short, the same 
directions which have been given regarding Mento-vocal 
culture (p. 39) might be repeated here for Mento-action culture. 



SECTION I. — POSITIONS. 

i. First Position Right' and Left. (Figs. 24 and 25.) 

(1) Make a change from the First Position Right to the 
First Position Left by stepping the left foot forward. 

(2) Change from the First Position Left to the First Posi- 
tion Right by stepping the left foot backward. Alternate 
exercises (1) and (2) several times, stopping in the First 
Position Left. 

(3) Make the above changes by moving the right foot only. 

(4) Step forward and backward a few paces, preserving 
approximately the angle required for the First Position Right 

ft F u and Left; see pages 388 and 389. 

^^ J i. (5) Starting with the First Position 

Jf^§2*^ R ig Qt > indicated by LGDA in Fig. 37, 

.djfi 1 H\ , htt the heels slightly and' turn to the 

M \/ T/ ' First Position RTEU. Alternate 

/'X^o j <gA RTEU and LGDA a number of times. 

7- r o This is an easy change, but the student 

Fie. 37. * s cautioned against using it habitually 



POSITIONS. 



409 




on the platform. Changes by steps attract less attention 
and are therefore more desirable. 

2. First and Second Positions Right. (Figs. 24 and 26.; 

(1) Change from the First Position Right to the Second 
Position Right by stepping the right foot forward half its 
length as indicated in Fig. 38. F 

Return to the First Position 
Right. Repeat the exercise 
a number of times, keeping 
the body erect and carrying 
the weight easily from one 
foot to the other. 

(2) Change from the First 
Position Right to the Second 
Position Right by stepping 
in the Lengths about twice 
the length of the foot, as 
indicated in Fig. 39. Repeat the exercise several times. 

(3) Change from the First Position Right to the Second 
Position Right by stepping in the 

Breadths to the right, as indicated in 
Fig. 40. Return to the First Position 
Right. Repeat the exercise several 
times. 

3. First Position Left and Second 
Position Left. (Figs. 25 and 27.) 

(1) Change from the First Position 
Left to the Second Position Left by 
stepping forward half the length of 
the foot, — the converse of the action 
shown in Fig. 38. Return to the First 
Position Left. Repeat several times. 

(2) Do the same by stepping for- 
ward twice the length of the foot. Re- 
turn as before. Repeat several times. 




4-IO PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

(3) Make the same change by stepping in Breadths to the 

left, — the converse of the action shown in Fig. 40. Return 

F to the First Position Left. 

^^ 1^, ^ \^ / Repeat several times. 

~~Y~^ mmm ~~^^ 4. Second Position Right 

\ JlP I r% and Left. (Figs. 2 6 and 27.) 

\ (1) Move forward alter- 

\ nately to the Second Posi- 

\ tion Right and Second 

_...- Position Left by stepping 

p ' each time about the length 

Fig:. 40. of the foot. Retrace the 

steps by moving backward, and see that the Positions are 
equally as good as those made in advancing. 

(2) Move forward alternately in these two Positions by 
stepping as in ordinary walking. Halt each step with the 
weight on the forward foot. Retrace and lengthen the steps 
by moving backward in the First Position Right and Left 
extended. 

SECTION II. — ATTITUDES. 

i. First Attitude Right and Left. (Figs. 29 and 30.) 

(1) Change from the First Attitude Right to the First 
Attitude Left by stepping in Lengths, moving the left foot 
only. 

(2) Change by moving the right foot only. 

(3) In the same manner move forward and backward a 
few paces, preserving approximately the angle required for 
these Attitudes. See pages 390 and 391. 

2. First Attitude Right and Second Attitude Right. 
(Figs. 29, 31, and ^3-) 

(1) Change from the First Attitude Right to the Second 
Attitude Right (Forward Inclination) by stepping the right 
foot forward the foot's length, and bending the right knee. 
For the Backward Inclination bend the left knee, turn the 



ATTITUDES. 411 

left foot a little, and straighten the right knee. Practice 
alternately several times the Forward and Backward Inclina- 
tions. Return to the First Attitude Right. 

(2) Do the same by stepping twice the foot's length for- 
ward. Return to the First Attitude Right. 

(3) Change from the First Attitude Right to the Second 
Attitude Right by stepping in the Breadths to the right in 
a similar manner as indicated in Fig. 40. Bend the right 
and left knees alternately in the Forward and Backward 
Inclinations of this attitude. 

3. First Attitude Left and Second Attitude Left. 
(Figs. 30, 32, and 34.) 

(1) Change from the First Attitude Left to the Second 
Attitude Left (Forward Inclination) by stepping the left 
foot forward its length and bending the left knee. For the 
Backward Inclination bend the right knee, turn the right 
foot a little, and straighten the left knee. Practice these 
inclinations alternately several times. Return to the First 
Attitude Left. - 

(2) Do the same by stepping forward twice the length 
of the foot from the Second. Return to the First Attitude 
Left. 

(3) Make the same changes by stepping in Breadths to 
the left in a similar manner as indicated in Fig. 40. Bend 
the right and left knees alternately in the Forward and 
Backward Inclinations of this Attitude. 

4. Second Attitudes Right and Left. (Figs. 31 and 32.) 

(1) Move forward alternately in these Attitudes by step- 
ping about three times the length of the foot and bending 
the forward knee each time. Observe that these Attitudes 
are given with the Forward Inclination only. Retrace the 
steps by moving backward, extending the reach and forming 
the Second Position Right and Left. 

(2) Change by moving forward alternately as in the pre- 
ceding exercise by yet longer strides. Retrace the steps. 



412 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

SECTION III. — GESTURES. 

I. Exercises. 
i. Hand Index. 

(i) Give the Index in the Plane of the Superior with five 
strokes at different points in Lengths and Breadths. 

(2) Give the same in the Plane of Equality. 

(3) Give the same in the Plane of the Inferior. 

(4) Give three strokes in Depths, beginning with the 
Plane of the Superior and making a stroke in each Plane. 
Repeat at different angles in Lengths and Breadths. 

(5) Give three strokes in Heights beginning with the 
Plane of the Inferior and making a stroke in each Plane. 
Repeat in different angles as in (4). 

2. Give the Hand Supine, Hand Prone, Hand Averse, 
and Hand Clenched after the same manner. 

3. Hand Reflex. 

(1) Give the Hand Reflex to the Mental zone of the 
face, the Emotive zone, the Vital zone. 

(2) Give Hand Reflex to the Mental Torso, the Emotive 
Torso, the Vital Torso. 

4. Hands Clasped. 

(1) Give Hands Clasped on the Mental Torso, the Emo- 
tive Torso, the Vital Torso. 

(2) Give Hands Clasped in front of the Emotive Torso. 
Wring them as in anguish. 

5. Practice consecutively with positive strokes the fol- 
lowing Principles of the Hand in the Plane of Equality in 
Lengths; Hand Index, Hand Supine, Hand Prone, Hand 
Averse, and Hand Clenched. 

6. Practice the Principles of the Hand in the following 
order : 

(1) Hand Supine, in Lengths, Plane of Equality. 



GESTURES. 413 

(2) Hand Reflex, on Mental Torso. 

(3) Hand Index, in Lengths, Plane of Equality. 

(4) Hand Prone, in Heights, Plane of Superior. 

(5) Hand Averse, in Breadths, Plane of Inferior. 

(6) Hands Clasped, on Emotive Torso. 

(7) Hand Clenched, in Depths, Plane of Inferior. 

Application to Sentences. 

In presenting the following sentences for practice, we 
would not be understood to infer that the principle of the 
hand suggested in each case is the only one that might be 
used. We have indicated the principle which seems to us 
best suited to the thought or emotion : 

1. Hand Index. 

From HAMLET. Act III, Scene 4. 

Look here upon this picture, and on this. — Shakspeare. 

From JULIUS CffiSAR. Act I, Scene 1. 

You, sir, what trade are you ! — Shakspeare. 

From HAMLET. Act III, Scene 3. 

Do you see yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel ? — 
Shakspeare. 

2. Hand Supine. 

From MACBETH. Act I, Scene 5. 
What is your tidings ? — Shakspeare. 

From VTRGIinUS. Act II, Scene 2. 

Welcome Icilius J — Welcome, friends ! — Knowles. 



414 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



From JULIUS CffiSAR. Act II, Scene 



O ye gods 
Render me worthy of this noble wife. 

Shakspeare. 

3. Hand Prone. 

From INGOMAR. Act I, Scene 1. 

No ! thou shalt remain with me. — Halm. 

From APPEAL IN BEHALF OF IRELAND. 

He draws his lines round the doomed garrisor He cuts off 
all supplies. — Prentiss. 

From INGOMAR. Act IV, Scene 1. 
Hold, hold ! that is to danger, — see you not ? — Halm. 



4. Hand Reflex. 



From HAMLET. Act I, Scene 5. 

Hold, hold my heart ; 
And you, my sinews, grow not instant old 
But bear me stiffly up. Shakspeare. 



From ROMEO AND JULIET. Act II, Scene 2. 

And for that name, which is no part of thee, 

Take all myself. Shakspeare. 



From VTRGINTUS. Act I, Scene 2. 

O, I have loved thee long: 
So much the more ecstatic my delight, 
To find thee mine at length ! 

Knoivles. 



GESTURES. 4 I 5 

5. Hands Clasped. 

From MACLAINE'S CHILD. 

O, spare my child, my joy, my pride ! — MacKay. 

From The Famine — HIAWATHA. 

Gitche Manito, the Mighty ! 

Give your children food, O Father ! 
Give us food, or we must perish ! 
Give me food for Minnehaha, 
For my dying Minnehaha ! 

Longfellow. 

From VIRGINIUS. Act IV, Scene 2. 

O, bless you, bless you ! 
My father! my dear father ! Art thou not 
My father ? Knowles. 

6. Hand Averse. 

From MACBETH. Act III, Scene 4- 

Avaunt ! and quit my sight ! let the earth hide thee ! 

Shakspeare. 

From INGOMAR. Act I, Scene 1. 

Go, go, thou selfish and ungrateful child ! — Halm 

From APPEAL IN BEHALF OF IRELAND. 

He hates his fellow-men, and glares upon them with the longing 
of a cannibal. — Prentiss. 

7. Hand Clenched. 

From MACBETH. Act V, Scene 5. 

I will not yield, 
To kiss the ground beneath young Malcom's feet. 

Shakspeare. 



4l6 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

From JULIUS CiESAR. Act III, Scene 3. 

Woe to the hands that shed this costly blood. — Shakspeare. 

From SUPPOSED SPEECH OF JOHN ADAMS. 

The war, then, must go on. We must fight it through. — Webster. 



SECTION IV. — SELECTIONS FOR ANALYSIS. 

In the analysis of the following selections for action the 
student will find opportunity for the application of all the 
principles he has studied; and there is no occasion for con- 
fusion in the myriad combinations and blends of gesture in 
expression. The opportunities for variety of action are 
simply boundless, and this fact makes the vice of allowing 
a few meaningless movements of the hand and arm to 
become the fixed habit of a speaker, all the more repre- 
hensible. In this, our last exercise, we would repeat the 
caution that as expression depends primarily upon concep- 
tion, and conceptions differ, so we may expect different 
applications of the principles of action. Individuality has 
ample room to assert itself and at the same time conform 
to the laws underlying all correct action. 

From ABOU BEN ADHEM, 

Abou Ben Adhem (may his tribe increase !) 
Awoke one night from a deep dream of peace, 

And saw within the moonlight in his room, 

Making it rich, and like a lily in bloom, 
An angel writing in a book of gold : — 
Exceeding peace had made Ben Adhem bold ; 

And to the presence in the room he said. 

" What writest thou ? " — The vision raised its head, 
And with a look made all of sweet accord, 
Answered, " The names of those who love the Lord." 

"And is mine one?" said Abou. "Nay, not so," 

Replied the angel. Abou spoke more low, 



SELECTIONS FOR ANALYSIS. 417 

But cheerily still ; and said, " I pray thee then, 

Write me as one who loves his fellow-men." 

The angel wrote, and vanished. The next night 
It came again with a great wakening light, 

And showed the names whom love of God had blessed, 

And lo ! Ben Adhem's name led all the rest. 

Leigh Hunt. 

From JULIUS CffiSAR. Act III, Scene 2. 

Brutus. Romans, countrymen, and lovers ! hear me for my 
cause ; and be silent, that you may hear : believe me for mine honor ; 
and have respect to mine honor, that you may believe : censure 
me in your wisdom ; and awake your senses, that you may the 
better judge. If there be any in this assembly, any dear friend of 
Caesar's, to him I say that Brutus' love to Caesar was no less 
than his. If, then, that friend demand, why Brutus rose against 
Caesar, this is my answer, — Not that I loved Caesar less, but 
that I loved Rome more. Had you rather Caesar were living, 
and die all slaves, than that Caesar were dead, to live all free- 
men ? As Caesar loved me, I weep for him ; as he was fortunate, 
I rejoice at it ; as he was valiant, I honor him ; but, as he was 
ambitious, I slew him. There is tears for his love ; joy for his 
fortune ; honor for his valor ; and death for his ambition. Who 
is here so base that would be a bondman? If any, speak ; for 
him have I offended. Who is here so rude that would not be a 
Roman? If any, speak ; for him have I offended. Who is here 
so vile that will not love his country? If any, speak; for him 
have I offended. I pause for a reply. 

Citizens. None, Brutus, none. 

Bru. Then none have I offended. I have done no more to 
Caesar, than you should do to Brutus. The question of his death 
is enrolled in the Capital : his glory not extenuated, wherein he was 
worthy ; nor his offences enforced, for which he suffered death. 
Here comes his body, mourned by Mark Antony ; who, though 
he had no hand in his death, shall receive the benefit of his dying, 
a place in the commonwealth ; as which of you shall not? With 
this I depart, — That, as I slew my best lover for the good of 
Rome, I have the same dagger for myself, when it shall please my 
country to need my death. — Shakspea)\\ 



APPENDIX. 

By JAMES W. BASHFORD, B.D., Ph.D. 



ORATORY. 



INTRODUCTION. 



I. DEFINITION. 

Eloquence in its literal meaning is the speaking out of 
that which is within one. This definition expresses simply 
the impulse to utterance which characterizes the orator. It 
does not state the aim of his speech. Herbert Spencer 
goes a step farther and defines rhetoric as the art of mental 
transportation. He recognizes the hearer to whom the truth 
is to be conveyed as well as the speaker who utters his 
convictions. But Spencer's definition does not recognize 
the end of eloquence. The orator is indeed a carrier of the 
truth. But he is engaged in something more than a mental 
postal service. He is not content simply to convey his 
thoughts to another mind and leave them at its door. He 
aims rather to make his purposes enter into and become a 
part of the persons to whom he speaks. Eloquence is the 
art of spiritual reproduction, rather than of spiritual trans- 
portation. It is measured by the success of the speaker in 
making his thought and feeling and will become incarnate 
in other lives. 

II. DIVISIONS OF THE SUBJECT. 

i. First Question. 

Before turning to the text-books for the divisions of our 
theme, let us attempt to reach them by the method of 
experiment. Were I to invite each reader to deliver an 



422 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

address, the first question which would arise in your mind 
would relate to your perso?ial Jit?iess for the task. In other 
words, you would regard the invitation from a personal 
point of view. This consideration is appropriate, because 
personality is an essential element of eloquence. 

2. Second Question. 

But if you feel that in favorable circumstances you could 
influence people through speech, a second question would 
arise before you would accept the invitation to make an 
address, namely: What am I to speak about? Am I to 
lecture upon politics, or literature, or history, or art, or 
religion ? You might readily consent to bring one message 
to an audience and decline to treat another subject in 
public. The second question, therefore, relates to the 
matter of the discourse. Thus the matter or the truth 
to be presented becomes the second division of oratory. 

3. Third Question. 

But if you have had experience in speaking, or if you 
have a genius for the work, you will ask a third question, 
relating to the audience and to the occasion. Is the audience 
composed of children or adults ? What is its degree of 
cultivation ? What is the occasion which brings the people 
together ? Have they come for instruction, for encouragement 
or for entertainment ? The third question, therefore, relates 
to the nature and condition of the audience. As, however, 
the speaker cannot make or change occasions, we may say 
that the third element of success consists in his art in find- 
ing a suitable message for the occasion and in adapting the 
matter of his discourse to the audience. 

A score of other questions may arise in regard to public 
speaking, relating to the time, place, compensation, etc., etc. 
But all- these questions can be referred to one of the three 






ORATORY. 4 2 3 

divisions already named. They affect either the messenger, 
the message, or the masses. 

4. Criticism. 

An analysis of criticism will also show that critics uncon- 
sciously adopt these three divisions of the subject. How- 
ever numerous and varied the opinions which one hears 
pronounced upon public speakers, he will find that they 
invariably consist of an estimate of the orator, or they 
relate to the matter of his discourse, or they refer to his 
delivery. 

Inasmuch, therefore, as we have found the three elements 
entering into oratory, let us call them by the more abstract 
but inclusive terms, Personality, Truth, and Art. 

5. Ancient Rhetorical Works. 

If we now turn to the standard text-books on Rhetoric, we 
shall find one or more of these divisions of our subject 
recognized by each. Aristotle wrote a book which the 
Britannica pronounces the most scientific work on rhetoric 
yet produced. Aristotle's two divisions of the subject are : 
Invention, and Style. Invention relates to the gathering 
of the matter of the discourse by reading and observation, 
and to the development of the discourse by thinking. 
Under Style, Aristotle treats of the arrangeme)it of the matter, 
and its adaptation to the audience. His work, therefore, 
covers our last two divisions of the subject. Quintilian 
quotes in his Institutio Oratoria Cato's maxim " The orator 
is the good man who is skilled in speaking." The 
author also tells us how the orator may develop a good 
character. He treats the whole subject of education, 
especially of moral culture, as essential to the highest suc- 
cess in public speaking. Quintilian thus lays stress upon 
personality. 



424 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



6. Modern Text-Books. 



Most modern writers on rhetoric repeat the two divisions 
of Aristotle. The most marked exception, perhaps, is 
Whately, whose Elements of Rhetoric is recognized by the 
Britannica as the best modern text-book upon this subject. 
Whately' s four divisions are : The Understa?iding ; The 
Will; Style; Delivery or Elocution. 

A little study of Whately's divisions shows that the first 
two refer to the speaker and the second two relate to the 
adaptation of the message to the audie?ice. A study of his 
chapters on the Understanding will also show that under 
this head he includes much that Aristotle presents under 
Invention, or the preparation of the message. A few of the 
more suggestive modern text-books emphasize one or more 
of these three elements to the exclusion of the rest. Spen- 
cer's essay upon The Philosophy of Style treats only of our 
third division. Previous to Mr. Spencer's essay, style or 
art in Rhetoric had been treated almost exclusively with 
reference to the ideal form of the composition. Spencer 
brings out the neglected element of adaptation to the 
audience. He defines that style as best which conveys the 
thought to the hearers with the least possible effort upon 
their part. Mr. Spencer's definition emphasizes exclusively 
the third division of oratory or art. He treats this division 
somewhat narrowly. He pays no attention to art as the 
ideal form of thought or emotion, but limits himself wholly 
to the adaptation of the thought to the audience. Even in 
this subdivision of art, his rule is not universal. In general 
it is indeed well to express one's thought in such a form as 
to demand the least possible effort upon the part of the 
hearers for its comprehension. But it is sometimes better 
to stimulate hearers and especially students by a hard 
saying which demands mental effort on their part for its 
mastery. Browning and Emerson are not always clear ; but 



ORATORY. 425 

they are often more helpful than Addison and Macaulay. 
Style, however, had been treated by Mr. Spencer's prede- 
cessors as relating so exclusively to the ideal form of the 
composition, so little attention had been paid to the 
audience, that Mr. Spencer's essay is the freshest modern 
contribution to rhetoric ; and indeed was regarded for a 
time as furnishing a new basis for the art of writing and 
speaking. Abbott's valuable little book j How to Write 
Clearly presents as an art what Mr. Spencer's essay pre- 
sented as a philosophy. 

As Spencer has emphasized the principle of adapta- 
tion exclusively, so Theremin in his suggestive volume : 
Eloquence a Virtue, not an Art, lays supreme stress on the 
personal element in the orator. In this regard he goes back 
to Cicero and Quintilian and Socrates, and emphasizes 
what seems to us to be an essential element of successful 
speaking. 

Upon the whole the most valuable treatise upon public 
speaking with which we are familiar is Phillips Brooks' 
Yale Lectures on Preaching. In the first lecture Mr. Brooks 
names two elements of successful preaching, namely : The 
Man and the Message. He then devotes the second 
and third lectures to the preacher and the fourth and 
fifth lectures to the sermon. If only these two elements 
enter into preaching the volume would naturally close with 
the fifth lecture. But Mr. Brooks added three more lect- 
ures : one upon The Congregation, one upon The Ministry 
for Our Age, and one upon The Value of the Human Soul. 
These three lectures bear directly upon our third division 
of oratory. Mr. Brooks defines preaching as the presenta- 
tion of truth through man to men. The definition and the 
treatment of the subject are broader than the introduction, 
and present the three elements which we have already 
discovered : The Speaker, the Truth, and the Audience. 



426 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

7. College Training. 

This threefold division of the subject finds its best 
defence in the practical advice which professional men 
give to a young man who desires to win the highest success 
in the learned professions. The young man is urged to 
secure first a college training. But education, as the word 
itself implies, aims simply to draw out all the latent powers 
existing in the person. Its primary object is the develop- 
ment of the largest possible manhood which may later be 
turned into lawyer, minister, physician, editor, etc. 

8. Professional Training. 

But a college bred young man is not yet fit for the law 
or medicine. He is next urged to attend a professional 
school. Professional training differs from college training 
in that it lays stress on the second element in oratory. 
The professional school indeed furnishes some mental 
discipline, just as the college course imparts some knowl- 
edge. But as the aim of the college is mental discipline, 
so the aim of the professional school is knowledge. The 
college develops the personality of the student. The 
professional school presents the principles of law or of 
theology which guide in the construction, and often enter 
into the substance, of later addresses. 

9. Practice. 

When the young man has completed his course at college 
and at the professional school, he is not a great lawyer or 
physician or teacher. What lacks he yet? The skill in 
adaptation which comes from practice. This is the finest 
and most delicate part of one's training. The presence or 
absence of this element often leads to a reversal of the 
estimate formed of students in the college or the profes- 



ORATORY. 427 

sional school. We see, therefore, in the three courses 
demanded for the training of young men for professional 
life to-day, the three elements of oratory, namely : Person- 
ality, Truth, and Art. 

111. CLASSIFICATION OF PROFESSIONS. 

1. The Ministry. 

The presence of each of these elements is essential to 
the highest success in authorship, in teaching, or in speak- 
ing. Were we classifying the professions with reference to 
the predominance of one of these qualities, however, we 
should name the ministry as the profession in which the 
personal element is most essential to success. Whatever 
else the minister possesses or lacks he must be strong in 
character. Were his character destroyed, his mastery of 
spiritual truth would indeed be impaired ; for truth is 
usually distorted in passing through the mind of the 
wrong-doer. Nevertheless a fallen minister might retain 
a correct theology and great art. But when his reputa- 
tion for character is destroyed, his career as a minister is 
at an end ; because in this profession character is essential 
to success. 

2. Law and Science. 

The second element, the mastery of the truth, is most 
essential to success in the law and in the sciences. Lack 
of character will indeed prevent the lawyer reaching the 
highest and most permanent success. It will lessen his 
influence with the jury and the judge, and will eventually 
affect his vision of the truth. But if the advocate have 
the law and the facts upon his side, the judge and jury 
must give him the verdict, however much they may despise 
his character. The same mastery of the subject in hand 
is also the essential condition of success in science. The 
great scientists are indeed so engrossed in the search for 



428 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

truth that usually they are saved from evil practices. But 
Bacon, who made perhaps the greatest contribution to 
modern science, was not a man of the loftiest character. 
Upon the other hand, however pure the character of the 
lawyer or the scientist and however great the art of each 
as an expositor, permanent success in these professions 
cannot be won without the mastery of the subject in hand. 
If, therefore, personality is essential to the minister, the 
mastery of truth is essential to the lawyer and to the 
scientist. 

fc 3. Teaching. 

Art is essential to the teacher. The great educator is 
indeed a man of superior character and a master of great 
truths. But the mastery of truth and character may be 
present without making the person a successful instructor. 
Professor Benjamin Pierce of Harvard was one of the 
ablest mathematicians America has produced. But we 
have been told that he was not a successful instructor, 
because his teaching was usually above the capacity of 
his students. Hegel was a man of superior character. 
He was also one of the profoundest philosophers of 
modern times. But he once remarked to a class in the 
University of Berlin : " Only one man present understands 
me." After a pause he added : "And he does not fully 
comprehend my meaning." If the philosopher's state- 
ment was true, the fact simply proved his lack of art in 
teaching. His writings also lack clearness, and reveal 
inadequate art in presenting truth, if, indeed, they do not 
show a lack of clearness in the comprehension of the 
subject. Hence Hegel is a suggestive writer, but not a 
clear expositor. The great teacher is the person who can 
first find the platform of his students, and then lead them 
step by step from their lower position up to his higher 
position. This requisite for successful teaching accounts 



ORATORY. A 2 9 

for the fact that men seldom teach best the subjects which 
they learn most easily. It is only those who have encoun- 
tered difficulties themselves who can best point out the 
path to others journeying up the steeps of learning. What- 
ever else the great teacher possesses or lacks, he must 
have this power of finding his pupil and then leading him up 
to his own higher position. 

4. Acting. 

Adaptation is also essential to another profession, that of 
acting, and to all forms of public entertainment. Whatever 
else an actor possesses or lacks, he must have the power of 
pleasing the audience. He may be as profound as Burke, 
as saintly as Fenelon, but, without this power of adapta- 
tion, he cannot succeed in the dramatic profession. The 
reason acting has scarcely risen to the dignity of a profes- 
sion is because supreme stress has been laid upon the 
first requisite ; and truth, character, and even art in its 
ideal form have been sacrificed to the love of popularity. 

IV. CLASSIFICATION OF NATIONS. 

i. The French. 

Were we considering nations from these points of view, 
we should name the French people as excelling in Art. In 
cooking, in dress, in the building and adornment of homes, 
in the cultivation of the soil, as well as in the presentation 
of truth, the French have the reputation of making the most 
of the material in hand. We once heard Pere Hyacinth 
preach with such admirable art in tone and gesture and 
facial expression, in sentences so clear, and with such a 
repetition of the leading thoughts, that, although we had 
very little knowledge of the language, we followed the ser- 
mon with delight, and recalled it with a fullness which 
astonished a friend who knew our ignorance of French. 
The secret was in the art of the orator. In the eighteenth 



43 O PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

century it was said that even German thought must pass 
through France in order to find a tongue. 

2. The Germans. 

Upon the other hand, Germany seems to excel any other 
nation in the mastery of the subject in hand. German pro- 
fessors are willing to work upon small salaries ; but they 
devote their lives to narrow lines of investigation, and thus 
become leaders in some department of thought. It is this 
love of truth for its own sake and its lifelong cultivation 
which makes German Universities moulders of modern 
thought. 

3. The English. 

Englishmen seem to excel in personality. Whatever 
else an Englishman does, or fails to do, he is sure in his 
book or in his speech to express his own convictions. 
Englishmen sometimes seem opinionated and overbearing. 
They intrude their views upon us, and we call them egotists. 
But it is the strength of the personal element which makes 
England the colonizer of the modern world. That the 
personal element is the most vital of the three is shown by 
the fact that the English tongue is gaining over German 
and French as the medium of expression, and may possibly 
become the language of the world. 

4. The Americans. 

The next great literature will combine all these elements. 
If America can rival the French, or, better still, the ancient 
Greeks in the mastery of the art of expression ; if she can 
rival Germany in philosophy, and the ancient Roman world 
in the application of principles to the daily affairs of life ; 
if she can rival England or the ancient Jewish world in 
the development of personality through contact with the 
Almighty — she may hope to develop the great literature 
of the twentieth or the twenty-fifth century. 



ORATORY. 431 

CHAPTER I.— ART. 
I. DEFINITION. 

Art is the ideal expression of the thought, senti- 
ment, or purpose to be conveyed to others. Professor 
L. B. Monroe often said : " Let your words and tones and 
gestures be informed with your thought and feeling." He 
sometimes expressed the same principle in the following 
statement : " When your thought and purpose so thor- 
oughly mould your expression that the latter perfectly 
reveals the former, your art is faultless." 

1. Illustrations. 

I well remember the surprise with which I first listened 
to Wendell Phillips. The language and tones and gestures 
were so perfectly adapted to the thought that he seemed 
the most natural speaker I had ever heard. The language 
and tones were natural, not in the sense of customary, but 
in the sense of fitting. It seemed as if there was no other 
method of expressing such sentiments, and that all per- 
sons would speak in the same natural manner. Alas, alas, 
experience and observation show us how far most of us are 
from the spontaneous use of this natural method of expres- 
sion ! Accepting the definition given above, Mr. Phillips' 
art was more nearly perfect than that of any other man I 
have ever heard. Mr. Beecher and Mr. Spurgeon were his 
nearest rivals ; but there was a classic finish combined 
with the utmost naturalness in Mr. Phillips' speech which 
Beecher and Spurgeon never quite attained. I imagine, 
however, that Mr. Beecher sometimes surpassed Mr. Phil- 
lips in spontaneity and earnestness, while perhaps Mr. 
Spurgeon excelled him in the qualities of his voice and in 
spiritual power. It is said that Mr. Spurgeon once addressed 



43 2 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

an audience of twenty thousand in Crystal Palace, making 
himself distinctly heard by every one present, without ap- 
parent exaggeration of tone or manner. Probably no other 
speaker since the days of Whitefield could have equaled this 
feat. 

II. DIFFICULTIES OF ART. 

While art thus becomes perfect when it fully reveals the 
mind and the spirit, we must not for this reason think that 
it is simple or easily acquired. The slightest recollec- 
tion of our attempts at expressing ourselves in public or in 
private, shows how imperfectly we reveal our highest aspira- 
tions and our best thoughts to others. The consciousness 
of the chasm which separates our ideal selves from our 
actual lives, and the impossibility of closing this chasm and 
of making our words and conduct express our thoughts 
and emotions in our loftiest and truest moods, show the 
difficulty of acquiring art. 

Those who have mastered, in some measure, the art of 
human expression, testify to the difficulties which attend 
its acquirement. Demosthenes was at first hissed from 
the bema •; Disraeli was laughed down in his first attempt 
to speak in Parliament ; Webster failed in his first declama- 
tion ; Simpson turned from the ministry and studied medi- 
cine, because he thought he could not speak. Demosthenes 
recognized that emotion is so delicate and changing, that 
thought has so many shades of meaning, and purpose so 
many degrees of intensity, and character is so complex, that 
with even the Greek language — the most perfect instru- 
ment of human expression — he was accustomed to say: 
"The great oration must be, as it were, carved in brass." 
So Browning sings : 

What hand and brain went ever paired? 
What heart alike conceived and dared ? 
What act proved all its thought had been? 
What will but felt the fleshy screen? 



ORATORY. 433 

i. Reasons why Art is Difficult. 

A moment's contemplation shows why the art of speak- 
ing is difficult. All artists know how delicate is the art of 
making canvas and pigment express thought and emotion 
and character through the face and form portrayed ; but 
the orator, by the kindling of the eye or the change of 
his countenance, must often express to an audience in a 
moment what the painter labors for months to embody. 
Sculpture is a great art, as its possibilities are revealed by 
Michael Angelo ; but the orator must in a single oration 
assume the attitude of a score of statues, upon any one of 
which even Angelo might have labored for months. Music 
is so difficult that its mastery demands the genius and the 
toil of a Beethoven ; but the orator uses the most subtile 
musical instrument in the world — the human voice, and, 
instead of being permitted to pause like the musician upon 
a single note long enough to express its full significance, he 
is often required to sweep the scale in a single word. No 
one dreams that an Angelo could have carved his " Moses," 
or Leonardo da Vinci have painted the "Last Supper," or 
Beethoven have composed his "9th Symphony," without 
years of study and practice ; but we have the strange pre- 
sumption to suppose that all a young American has to 
do, in order to combine all these arts and to become an 
orator, is to stand up before his fellow-citizens, without 
either character in himself, or matter in his speech, or art 
in his expression, and simply " spout." 

III. OBJECTIONS TO ART. 

We are aware of the objection to the study of elocution. 
Our dear old teacher, Professor Hudson, the well-known 
Shakespearian scholar, was accustomed to define elocution 
as the art of saying nothing and making it pass for some- 
thing. Even Frederick Robertson, the most thoughtful 



434 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

preacher of modern times, objected to any verbal expression 
of religious emotion, on the ground that the expression of 
sentiment in words would relieve the person, and save him 
from the higher duty of expressing his sentiment in conduct. 
I think Emerson once expressed the conviction that certain 
authors were unlovely because they worked up into poetry 
the sentiments which stronger people put into conduct. 
We once heard a leading actor declare that the possession 
of thought or emotion is not at all essential to the speaker. 
Upon the contrary he advised actors to concentrate all their 
attention upon tones and gestures and give no thought to 
their inward states. He declared that by suitable expres- 
sion he could produce any sentiments he desired in the 
audience without the possession of this sentiment upon 
his own part. The voice must, indeed sometimes for 
months, be trained to utter sounds without meaning until it 
attains mechanical excellence, and becomes responsive to 
the will, just as the hand and the eye of the painter must be 
trained for the same purpose. But to teach a young person 
to attempt to produce in others sentiments, which he does 
not feel himself, is simply to train him in the art of hypoc- 
risy, and we do not wonder that honest souls, like those of 
Hudson and Robertson, revolt against it. But such elocu- 
tion is also a violation of the fundamental rules of art as 
presented throughout this volume. Professor Curry, in The 
Province of Expression, thus speaks of such mechanical 
elocution : " In presenting Shylock, the actor does not have 
any internal sympathetic assimilation of character, but 
adjusts his head, his limbs, his throat ; everything is aggre- 
gated and adjusted, nothing is unfolded. The voice as it 
comes out is the result of an elocutionary trick in the throat. 
It is a mere mechanical effect without any psychic cause. 
Such work may serve as an exhibition for people who wane 
to see what a man can do with himself ; but there is not a 
particle of art in it." 






ORATORY. 435 

I. Answers to Objections. 

If by art we understand the perfect expression of that 
which is within us, objection can no more be urged against 
the cultivation of such art for public speaking than to the 
cultivation of the voice for music, or of the hands for 
mechanical trades. Robertson's objection, that expression 
weakens sentiment, is true only of excessive or hypocritical 
expression. All excessive activity injures the faculties 
indulging it. Upon the other hand, all undue restraint of 
emotion tends to destroy the emotion. It was upon this 
ground that Franklin urged angry people to count ten 
before giving expression to their rage. All appropriate 
activity both cultivates the sentiments expressed and, at 
the same time, perfects the means of expression. 

IV. CULTIVATION OF ART. 

If asked how one may cultivate the art of expression in its 
ideal form, we answer that love of art for its own sake, a 
study of the great masters of fine art, and daily practice 
in accordance with scientific principles, are the only methods 
by which one may perfect his art. One must believe in the 
sacredness of his vocation. He must do his work, not 
simply for the applause of the multitude, but rather as if he 
were laboring in the presence of the original Creator. Long- 
fellow expresses our thought in the beautiful quatrain : 

"In the elder days of art 
Builders wrought with patient care 
Each unseen and hidden part ; 
For the gods see everywhere." 

V. ART AS ADAPTATION. 

But art implies the adaptation of the message to the 
audience, as well as its embodiment in an ideal form. 



436 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

i. Conflict Between Ideal Form and Adaptation. 

Sometimes there is apparent conflict between these two 
aims in art ; and the ideal form is sacrificed to please the 
audience. But the conflict is due to ignorance on one or 
both sides. The supposed higher forms of speech may be 
empty or affected expressions. Both Demosthenes and 
Shakespeare violated the canons of style accepted in their 
day. The great master must know whether the forms in 
which the sentiments of his age find expression grow out of 
the nature of the sentiments themselves, or whether they are 
simply conventional forms imposed upon the world by some 
master who formed his art in a lower stage of civilization. 
Upon the other hand the audience may be ignorant, and 
may not recognize the ideal forms of art when they are 
presented. But if one Creator made the human heart and 
shaped the laws of expression, we may rest assured that 
there can be no ultimate conflict between art in its ideal 
form and art as adaptation to the audience. 

2. Source of Adaptation. 

Adaptation springs out of love of the audience. The 
moment that self-love or the love of applause becomes the 
motive of the speaker, that moment he ceases to be a 
teacher and becomes a demagogue. 

3. Illustrations of Adaptation. 

Perhaps the best American illustrations of art in political 
speaking are found in the speeches of Henry Clay and Mr. 
Lincoln. The latest biography of Mr. Clay lays special 
emphasis on his power to put the ideas of his generation in 
a form for popular approval ; and affirms that Mr. Clay put 
more laws into final shape and carried them through Con- 
gress than any other representative of the American people. 



ORATORY. 437 

In this regard he excelled Mr. Blaine, though Mr. Blaine is 
one of the finest expositors of the principles of his party 
which our present political life has produced. It is said that 
Mr. Clay once stated an argument before a jury in four 
different forms, wearying two very intelligent auditors who 
fully comprehended his argument the first time he stated it. 
When one of these hearers who was a special friend to Mr. 
Clay mentioned his repetitions deprecatingly, Mr. Clay 
replied: "Did you see the juryman in blue jeans, sitting in 
the corner?" "No," said his friend, "What of him?" 
"The first time I stated the argument," said Mr. Clay, "I 
won eleven jurymen. But one must secure twelve jurymen 
to win a case. I saw that the obstinate juryman was 
ignorant, and so stated my argument a second time, chang- 
ing the illustrations. He wavered in his opposition. I 
stated it a third time. He wavered still more and seemed 
inclined to my side. I stated the argument a fourth time 
and won the juror, and shall have the verdict." And Mr. 
Clay secured the verdict, because he had not simply the art 
which stated an argument so that a juryman might under- 
stand him, but the art which stated an argument so that the 
juryman could not misunderstand him. "Why do you 
repeat the truth twenty times to the boys," said John 
Wesley's father to John Wesley's mother, " Because," said 
the mother, "the children have not learned the lesson when 
I have repeated it nineteen times." It was this willingness 
to repeat line upon line and precept upon precept which 
enabled the mother of the Wesleys to give England two of 
the noblest sons of the eighteenth century. 

Mr. Clay seems to me to have failed in proposing the 
final solution of the great problem of his age, because he 
carried his adaptation too far and did not recognize that 
principles are as inflexible in politics as in the natural 
sciences ; and perhaps, also, because of his lack of the 
highest personality. Mr. Lincoln, therefore, seems to me to 



43^ PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

be a better representative of wise adaptation of measures to 
men than was Mr. Clay. A better comparison, however, 
lies between Abraham Lincoln and Wendell Phillips. 
Phillips was the political prophet of his generation. He 
stood upon the heights which his fellow-citizens ought to 
have occupied, and which he knew they must eventually 
occupy, and mocked the people in the valley below. Lin- 
coln, too, saw the mountain heights of freedom ; and, not 
content to occupy the ideal position alone, like Paul, he 
went down to where the multitude stood, not that he might, 
like a demagogue, abide with the people in the plain, but 
that he might lead his brethren up the rugged heights of 
freedom. Phillips was an Elijah. Lincoln a Moses. The 
latter seems to me to have combined the three qualities of 
oratory in his Gettysburg oration — one of the finest speci- 
mens of American eloquence. 

4. Undue Adaptation. 

One must be especially on his guard, lest his love of the 
audience lead him to carry his adaptation too far. The 
lack of appreciation may be the fault of the audience, and 
not of the speaker. Schleiermacher says that a man's great- 
ness is measured by his power to mould society, rather than 
by his ability to adapt himself to his environment. For per- 
manent leadership, the great orator must be so much in 
advance of his age that, like Demosthenes, or Moses, or 
Christ, he may fail of immediate appreciation. At any 
rate, a true man will never sacrifice his personal convic- 
tions out of either fear or love of the audience. He will 
have so much confidence in the capacity of the human soul 
for truth, and so much faith in his fellow-men, that he will 
utter his deepest convictions upon every subject. But while 
it is enough for the scientist simply to speak the truth, the 
orator will ever be found among those " speaking the truth 



OKA TORY. 



439 



in love." Goldsmith hints at our ideal of adaptation in his 
Village Preacher : 

A man he was to all the country dear ; 
And passing rich on forty pounds a year. 
Unskillful he to fawn or seek for power 
By doctrines fashioned to the varying hour ; 
Far other aims his heart had learned to prize — 
More bent to raise the wretched than to rise. 
But in his duty, prompt to every call, 
He watched and wept and prayed and felt for all ; 
And, as a bird each fond endearment tries 
To tempt its new-fledged offspring to the skies, 
He tried each art, reproved each dull delay, 
Allured to brighter worlds, and led the way. 



440 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 



CHAPTER II. — TRUTH. 

While recognizing the value of Rhetoric and Elocution, we 
must admit that they are only a means to an end. The aim 
of public speech is to influence hearers through the truth 
presented to them. 

I. VALUE OF TRUTH. 

The reason truth is of vital importance to the orator, is 
because there can be no permanent settlement of the prob- 
lems with which the leader of thought deals, except in 
accordance with its laws. Truth, for the orator, is the 
science relating to the subject upon which he speaks. 
The orator must fail utterly in his duty to the audience, 
and must take a short-sighted view of his own fame, if he 
seeks simply for the arguments which will persuade the 
people to accept in physics or mechanics theories which 
the first experiment will prove false. Men are only slightly 
less short-sighted who try to persuade the people to accept 
in politics or religion a theory which the leaders know to 
be incorrect. For the sake of his hearers and for his own 
reputation, the speaker must be even more interested in 
finding the truth than in persuading the audience to accept 
the views he holds. Though the teacher who presents the 
truth lacks in style, and even though he is personally ob- 
noxious, yet we must eventually accept his views, because 
the forces of the universe are on his side. The man who 
presents the true solution of the political, social, and spir- 
itual problems of our age, though he be crucified to-day, 
will become the leader of to-morrow, because the growing 
experience of the race will vindicate his wisdom. Truth, 
therefore, is essential to all permanmt success in oratory- 



ORATORY. 



441 



We may go farther, and say that knowledge is essential 
to temporary effectiveness in speech. Socrates was accus- 
tomed to say : " Every man is sufficiently eloquent in that 
which he clearly understands." Old Dr. Emmons often 
told the candidates for the ministry that the worst fault in 
delivery consists in having nothing to deliver. Emerson 
once wrote : " That speaker is most desired in a public 
assembly who knows most about the subject in hand." 
Emerson's remark is true in proportion to the importance 
and the critical nature of the problem for which the assem- 
bly is called. If a ship is on fire, the passengers care 
little for the man whose manners were perfect in the state- 
room the preceding evening ; they wish to hear the man 
who knows most about extinguishing flames or launching 
lifeboats. 

1. Illustration. 

When I began the study of Demosthenes' Oratio7i on the 
Crown, I had the vague impression that eloquence was an 
unearthly quality gained by some sort of magnetism. I was 
astonished to find this speech so packed with knowledge on 
the subject in hand that Demosthenes seemed to know all 
about the theme, and his view appeared to be the only cor- 
rect opinion. In the next place, I was equally astonished 
to find the argument stated so simply that even a child 
could not fail to understand it. One day, in my astonish- 
ment at this discovery, I broke out in the class with the 
remark : " There is no trick at all about Demosthenes' 
eloquence ; I could make as good a speech myself, if I 
only knew as much." " Doubtless you could," replied the 
Professor, "if you only knew as much." 

All that Rhetoric and Elocution can avail is to enable the 
speaker to present to the audience in the most effective 
manner whatever truth he possesses. One may, indeed, 
use devices to confuse an audience, and turn them away 



44 2 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

from the truth which another has uttered ; but there is no 
possible trick of Elocution or art of Rhetoric by which a 
speaker can give to an audience that which he does not 
himself possess. 

II. MASTERY OF TRUTH. 

i. First Condition. 

The first requisite for a mastery of the truth is observation, 
reading, the gatheri?tg of ail the facts. The lawyer who has 
hunted up the law and the precedents, the minister who 
speaks from experience and cites illustrations, the statesman 
who knows the history of the people, makes the weightiest 
address. In a debate, especially if the struggle is a long 
one, fear not the antagonist who has the finest reputation 
for eloquence, but the one who knows most about the 
question at issue. An unknown lawyer was employed in a 
will case in New York involving a million dollars. He 
studied the case for a year before he instituted proceedings 
in the court to recover the property of his client. The 
defendants had possession of the money and employed the 
finest legal talent in the city. But the unknown lawyer won 
because the facts and law were upon his side. 

2. Second Condition. 

But observation and industry alone do not make the great 
speaker. One might as well call a good recruiting officer 
a great general as to call a mere literary encyclopedist a 
great author. If one's learning is thoroughly digested by 
thought, his writing will be something more than an intel- 
lectual scrap bag, or a mental crazy-quilt. Leaders in law 
or science, like Blackstone or Marshall or Darwin, never 
impress us with their erudition. Such men master princi- 
ples and thus create precedents instead of quoting them. 






ORATORY. 443 

At this point there seems to be a defect in modern educa- 
tion. The memory is cultivated at the expense of the 
reason. We act as if the child's mind were an empty cup, 
and we pour in facts upon every possible subject ; and then 
test the child's education by his ability to recite these facts 
word for word as they were given to him. A good recitation 
often proves that the facts have remained in the child's 
memory only, unassimilated and undigested by the reason. 
Older people cannot recite like parrots, because their 
understanding has grown at the expense of their memory. 
This failure of a mere verbal memory, this loss of names 
and dates and facts unconnected with principles is no proof 
of the decay of mental power. Older people may be thank- 
ful that they have what the little girl called a good "forget- 
tery." Confucius says : " Learning, undigested by thought, 
is labor lost." Newton when asked the secret of his 
discoveries, answered: " thinking, thinking, thinking." The 
artist Carpenter once asked Mr. Lincoln the secret of his 
success in the remarkable debates with Mr. Douglass. 
Lincoln replied in substance as follows: "I studied the 
other side of the question until I knew all the arguments 
which Senator Douglass could present, and until I could 
state these arguments, at least, as well as he. I then framed 
answers to each of the possible positions which he might 
take ; and so was prepared for any contest upon that 
subject." It was Mr. Lincoln's thorough study of both 
sides of the question and of the principles at issue which 
made him easily master in that historic debate. It is said 
that when Senator Hayne made his celebrated speech in 
favor of State rights, his compeers were so moved by his 
eloquence that they adjourned for the rest of the day. The 
friends of the union gathered around Mr. Webster's desk 
and began to consult anxiously as to how they might meet 
Senator Hayne's arguments. One remarked that the speech 
must not be allowed to go before the country unanswered, 



444 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

and that Mr. Webster must, therefore, speak immediately 
upon the reassembling of the Senate. "But," cried a timid 
senator, "How can Mr. Webster speak with so little prepa- 
ration ? " Webster took from his desk some notes and said : 
"The particular points which Senator Hayne has made, 
have been thought out by myself and noted down with 
appropriate answers for months ; while the great principles 
at issue have been my life-long study. I can speak tomor- 
row." W T hen the senate met again Mr. Webster made the 
memorable speech which postponed the fatal decision of the 
South for a quarter of a century, and strengthened the union 
sentiment throughout the land, so that when the conflict 
came the principle of nationality triumphed. The same 
thorough mastery of the great principles at issue is seen in 
Patrick Henry's speech before the Virginia Convention, and 
especially in Alexander Hamilton's speech before the New 
York Convention in favor of adopting the federal constitu- 
tion. These speeches of Henry, Hamilton, Webster, and 
Lincoln shaped the destiny of our country in the most 
critical period of her history. Their form was, in part, 
extempore, but their principles were the result of years of 
study by giant intellects. 

We cannot think that the greatest orators will cultivate 
the memoriter method, at least, exclusively. The orator is 
the man who inwardly digests facts and whose speech, 
therefore, becomes a living product. The great historian is 
not a mere chronicler of events. He masters not simply 
facts, but the principles which underlie facts and give them 
their significance. He then reproduces events as illustra- 
tions of his principles. So history becomes vital under the 
master's touch. You can no more tear away a portion of a 
real poem or speech without mutilating the whole, than you 
can tear a limb from the body. The distinguishing trait of 
Shakespeare's writings is their vital quality. Perhaps Shake- 
speare took more from other authors than any other writer 



ORATORY. 445 

of his age. But he inwardly digested that which he took 
from others. So his writings became, not a tesselated pave- 
ment of stolen gems cut to fit in their appropriate places, 
but new creations bearing the stamp of their imperial 
master. Such work is not possible without thoughtfulness 
and originality, as well as industry and observation. 

3. Third Condition. 

I am inclined to think that a third condition for the 
mastery of the truth is candor a?id obedie?ue to the light one 
has. It was a proof of mental honesty, and a sign of real 
scholarship in Emersori and Darwin and Newton, that they 
would not mentally take more food than they could digest. 
At the risk of low grades at college, they dealt honestly 
with their minds. If a man seeks the truth, and uses it 
simply for the purpose of confounding his antagonists and 
winning his cases, he may become talented, but he never 
becomes wise. All great masters of the truth, like Newton, 
Pascal, and Paul, have been men of candor, who loved 
truth for its own sake, and who were ready to abandon 
preconceived notions as soon as larger light came. Parties 
and sects produce men of immense erudition and of great 
talents ; but the moulders of public thought, the creators 
of permanent movements, are the solitary thinkers who 
accept no shibboleth and follow no party farther than the 
party follows truth. 

4. Summary. 

Industry in gathering facts, a mind open to the signifi- 
cance of the facts, possessing vision and insight, and grasp- 
ing principles ; a candid mind, dealing honestly with itself 
and with others, with a strange combination of faith and 
humility, sure that there is more truth than is yet mas- 
tered, and ready to abandon preconceived theories for larger 



446 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

knowledge ; above all, an obedient will, ready to live out 
at all hazards new truth gained, and thus advancing in 
knowledge by the scientific method — these are the con- 
ditions for the mastery of the truth. The orator who thus 
interprets the truth for his generation must be heard, for 
the forces of the universe are on his side. 



ORATORY. 447 



CHAPTER III. — PERSONALITY. 

We have dwelt upon Art and Truth as essential to 
oratory. But only as Truth becomes incarnate in char- 
acter, and as art reveals this lofty personality to the audi- 
ence, does eloquence reach its end, and the convictions of 
the speaker become the purposes of his hearers. A young 
teacher once wrote Carlyle, asking how the writer could 
become a successful instructor. Carlyle wrote back : " Live 
out the truth you would teach your pupils, like a true man ; 
all other teaching is unblessed mockery and apery." It is 
said, to the everlasting credit of Daniel Webster, that he 
never could make a good speech upon a side in which he 
did not believe. Mr. Lincoln, like Charles O'Conor, went 
even farther than Mr. Webster, and often refused to take 
the wrong side of a case. Personally, we hold that a lawyer 
is under obligation to see that his client, though a criminal, 
is not punished beyond the bounds of justice or of law ; 
but the moment a lawyer in the court, and under the forms 
of law, tries either to shield the criminal from the penalties 
due to his crime, or to wrest more than justice from his 
opponent, that moment he becomes morally a law-breaker 
and a participator in crime. 

I. CHARACTER ESSENTIAL. 

But we advocate the development of the loftiest char- 
acter, not simply because it is demanded by ideal consid- 
erations, but because it is essential to the highest success 
of the public speaker. Mr. Lincoln once said : " The 
demagogue may mislead" all the people part of the time, 
and some of the people all the time ; but he cannot mis- 
lead all the people all the time." Phillips Brooks held 



448 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

that a good man, who honestly believes a false doctrine, 
will secure more followers than a bad man advocating the 
truth. A young member of the British House of Lords 
once wrote Benjamin Franklin, asking how he might be- 
come an influential speaker. Franklin answered that a real 
mastery of the subject to be discussed, and a reputation for 
honesty and character, would give a man's words greater 
weight in Parliament than all the arts of Rhetoric he could 
cultivate in a lifetime. After all, a man's character shows 
itself in his walk, and in his tone, and speaks through his 
words. " Style," says Buff on, " style is the man himself." 
The everlasting freshness of Sartor Resartus, of Pilgrim's 
Progress, of Goethe's Faust, of David's Psalms, is due to 
the fact that these books, while of unequal merit morally, 
each embodies the spirit of its author. Milton was accus- 
tomed to say : " Every great poem is the life-blood of a 
noble spirit." Emerson once wrote : " Only so much do I 
know as I live." Milton's Paradise Lost seems to us to 
excel Paradise Regained, because Milton experienced more 
of the sorrows and sins of earth than of the blessedness 
of heaven. Paradise Regained ought not to have been 
written until Milton had reached that blessed land, and 
could speak from experience, like a scientist. The con- 
quering power of the experimental philosophy is due to the 
fact that it has life back of it. 

i. Illustration. 

When Demosthenes was asked by a young man to define 
eloquence, he replied in the one word "Action." The 
young man was puzzled and again asked : " Demosthenes, 
what is eloquence?" Again the orator replied "Action." 
The bewildered rhetorician again stammered out the ques- 
tion "What is eloquence?" "Action," thundered the 
orator. We are ashamed to acknowledge that modern 



ORATORY. 449 

writers have stumbled over the definition as grievously as 
the young Greek, and some have thought that Demosthenes 
identified eloquence with gesture. Only a dancing master 
could have dreamed of such an exegesis. The Greek word 
means conduct, life, doing. The grand old man, who had 
given his life to statesmanship as well as to Oratory, who 
had been a man of action as well as a student of Rhetoric, 
who lost reputation and property and at last his life for his 
country, saw a young man standing before him who thought 
that eloquence was a mere trick of speech to be learned 
from a rhetorician. The old man eloquent divined at 
once the young man's false hopes, and stated the one 
condition upon which all eloquence rests. The eloquence 
which transforms communities is the natural expression of a 
lofty character in deeds as well as words. Life from life is 
the verdict of literature as well as of science. Daniel 
Webster either consciously or unconsciously repeated 
Demosthenes' definition, and even the very words which 
Demosthenes used. After depicting the three elements of 
eloquence, he added : " The clear conception outrunning 
the deductions of logic, the high purpose, the dauntless 
spirit, speaking on the tongue, beaming in the eye, and 
informing the whole man — this is eloquence ; or rather it is 
something greater than all eloquence ; it is noble, sublime, 
god-like action." So Lincoln and Washington, who are 
molding American political life ; Gladstone and Alfred 
the Great, who are shaping English public thought ; so 
Milton and Chaucer and Shakespeare and Goethe and 
Dante and Homer, who have influenced great literatures ; 
so Wycliffe, whose translation of the Bible gave form to 
English speech, and Luther, the creator of modern German ; 
so Zoroaster and Confucius and Buddha, who shaped the 
religious thought and life of the Orient ; so Moses and 
David and Isaiah, who molded Jewish literature and life — 
all were men of kingly character. Even Jesus never dreamed 



45° PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

that he could lift men to some spiritual height which he 
himself had never reached. On the contrary, he says : 
"And I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me." 
Only as life goes into your speech will your words give life 
to others. 



CONCLUSION. 

We have thus treated the three elements : Art, Truth, 
and Personality, which seem to us essential to high and 
lasting public speech. In confirmation of our views we 
turn to the person who has exercised the highest and most 
lasting influence upon the most advanced civilizations of the 
world. No words have exercised such a molding influence 
upon the loftiest characters of earth as have the sayings of 
Jesus. What is the secret of his success? First, his 
mastery of a spiritual philosophy. Men before him had been 
able to say : I know some portion of the truth. But who 
could say like Jesus : "I am the truth"? Here was the first 
condition of his success. But combined with truth was 
marvelous art in the Master. While he talked about the 
soul and eternity and God — the most distant, abstract and 
difficult themes for the human mind to comprehend, — he 
yet spoke in such golden parables that " the common people 
heard him gladly." This was the second condition of his 
success. But greater than Christ's truth and Christ's art 
was his life. Not his parables, nor the sermon upon the 
mount, but his unselfish life upon earth and his loving 
death upon the cross enabled him to conquer the hearts 
of men and to become the founder of a new order of 
humanity. Jesus sums up all that we have written upon our 
theme in the simple words : "I am the way, the truth, and 
the life.*' 



OUTLINE OF THE BOOK. 



Page 

INTRODUCTION r 

I. Relation of Science to Art i 

II. Relation to Kindred Sciences 4 

III. Importance of the Subject 5 

IV. Divisions of the Subject 7 

PART I. — THE PSYCHIC BEING; VOICE; 
PRONUNCIATION; EMPHASIS. 

Chapter I. — MAN'S TRIUNE NATURE 8 

I. The Psychic Unity 8 

1. The Vital Nature 9 

2. The Mental Nature 9 

3. The Emotive Nature 9 

II. The Psychic Pentarchy 9 

III. Delsarte's Contribution 12 

IV. Law of Interdependence and Blends 13 

Chapter II. — THE VOCAL APPARATUS 14 

Section I. — Organs 15 

I. The Lungs 16 

II. The Trachea and Bronchi 16 

III. The Larynx 17 

r. Cartilages of the Larynx 17 

2. Vocal Cords 18 

IV. The Pharynx 20 

V. The Nasal Cavities 22 

VI. The Mouth 22 



452 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Page 

Section II. — Muscles 24 

I. The Diaphragm 24 

II. The Abdominal Muscles 24 

III. The Intercostal Muscles 25 

IV. The Chest Muscles 25 

Section III. — Health of the Vocal Organs 26 

Chapter III. — RESPIRATION 27 

Section I. — Inspiration and Expiration 27 

II. — Methods of Breathing 29 

I. Clavicular Breathing 30 

II. Costal Breathing 30 

III. Abdominal Breathing 31 

Section III. — Breathing Exercises 31 

I. For Development of Organs 32 

II. For Development of Muscles 34 

III. For Economy of Breath 36 

Chapter IV. — CULTIVATION OF THE VOICE 37 

Section I. — Purpose , 37 

II. — General Suggestions 38 

III. — Vocal Exercise 40 

Chapter V. — PRONUNCIATION 42 

Section I. — English Sounds 43 

I. Tonics 44 

II. SUBTONICS 44 

III. Atonics 44 

IV. Table of English Sounds 45 

Section II. — Intrinsic Time- Value of Sounds 46 

I. Table of English Quantities 46 

Section III. — Articulation 47 

I. Oral Position of Consonants 47 

1. Table of Consonants 48 



OUTLINK. 453 

Pagi 

II. Cognates 48 

1. Table of Cognates 49 

2. Repetition of Sounds and Conjunction of Cognates .19 

3. Illustrations 49 

III. Exercises in Articulation 51 

1. Combinations of Tonics with Subtonics and Atonies 51 

2. Initial Combinations of Consonants 52 

3. Terminal Combinations of Consonants 52 

4. Phonetic Spelling 52 

5. Sentences in Difficult Articulation 53 

Section IV. — Quality of Vowel Sound 54 

I. Defects in Quality of Vowel Sound 55 

II. Alphabetical Equivalents 60 

III. Obscure Vowels 61 

Section V. — Syllabication 63 

I. Formation of Syllables 63 

II. Division of Words into Syllables 64 

III. Syllables, as to Number and Position 65 

IV. Time-Value of Syllables 65 

Section VI. — Accentuation 66 

I. Kinds of Accent 67 

II. Variation of Accent 67 

Section VII. — Words Commonly Mispronounced 70 

Chapter VI. — EMPHASIS 71 

Section I. — Emphasis of Sense 73 

I. Objective Emphasis y^ 

II. Antithetic Emphasis 75 

1. Expressed Antithesis 75 

2. Implied Antithesis 76 

III. Climactic Emphasis 77 

IV. Suggestions for Applying Emphasis 79 



454 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

PART II. — THE ELEMENTS OF VOCAL 
EXPRESSION. 

Page 
I. Harmony of the Rush and Delsarte Philosophies 85 

II. Tabular View of the Subject 87 

Chapter L — QUALITY 89 

I. Resonance 90 

II. Divisions and Diagrams 90 

Section I. — Normal Quality 92 

I. Definition and Use 92 

II. Illustrative Selections 93 

Section II. — Orotund Quality 94 

I. Definition and Use 94 

II. Illustrative Selections 95 

Section III. — Oral Quality 97 

I. Definition and Use 97 

II. Illustrative Selections 98 

Section IV. — Aspirate Quality 99 

I. Definition and Use 99 

II. Illustrative Selections 100 

Section V. — Guttural Quality 101 

I. Definition and Use 101 

II. Illustrative Selections 103 

Section VI. — Pectoral Quality 104 

I. Definition and Use 104 

II. Illustrative Selections 105 

Section VII. — Nasal Quality 107 

I. Definition and Use 107 

II. Illustrative Selections 108 

Section VIII. — Falsetto Quality 109 

I. Definition and Use 109 

II. Illustrative Selections no 

Section IX. — Vocal Culture of Quality in 



OUTLINE. 455 

Pagb 

Chapter II. — FORCE 113 

I. Analogy with the Triune Nature 113 

Section I. — Form 1 14 

I. Effusive 116 

II. Expulsive 1 16 

III. Explosive 117 

IV. Relative Values of the Three Natures in the 

Forms 118 

V. Illustrative Selections 118 

VI. Vocal Exercises in the Forms 123 

VII. Combination of Quality and Form 123 

1. The Multiplication Table of Expression 124 

2. Proofs in Nature and Expression 125 

(1) The Normal with its Forms.. 125 

(2) The Orotund with its Forms 126 

(3) The Oral with its Forms 127 

(4) The Aspirate with its Forms 128 

(5) The Guttural with its Forms 129 

(6) The Pectoral with its Forms 130 

(7) The Nasal with its Forms 131 

(8) The Falsetto with its Forms 132 

3. Illustrative Selections 133 

Section II. — Degree of Force 147 

I. Scale of Degrees 148 

1. Individuality of Speaker 149 

2. Acoustic Conditions 150 

(1) Size of Auditorium 150 

(2) Shape of Auditorium 150 

(3) Size of the Audience 152 

II. Exercises on Relative Scales 152 

III. Combinations with Form and Quality 153 

1. The Limitations in Degree 154 

2. The Range in Degree 156 

IV. Illustrative Selections 156 



45^ PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Page 

V. Selections for Analysis 158 

VI. Vocal Culture in Degrees of Force 160 

Section III. — Stress 162 

I. Divisions and Graphic Illustrations 162 

II. Comparison with Form 163 

III. Use of Stress in Expression 164 

IV. Adaptation to the Triune Nature 165 

V. Radical Stress 165 

1. Law of Use 165 

2. Illustrative Selections 166 

VI. Final Stress 167 

1. Law of Use 167 

2. Illustrative Selections 168 

VII. Compound Stress 170 

1. Law of Use 170 

2. Illustrative Selections 170 

VIII. Median Stress 172 

1. Law of Use 172 

2. Illustrative Selections 172 

IX. Thorough Stress 174 

1. Law of Use 174 

2. Illustrative Selections 175 

X. Intermittent Stress 177 

1. Law of Use 177 

2. Illustrative Selections 178 

XL Relative Values of the Triune Nature in the 

Stresses 180 

XII. Combinations of Stresses with Forms and Qual- 
ities 181 

XIII. Vocal Exercises in Stress 183 

Chapter III. — PITCH 185 

I. Tunable Sounds 185 

1. Song-Notes and Speech-Notes Contrasted 186 

2. Points of Resemblance 187 



OUTLINE. 457 

Pack 

3. Evolution of the Speech-Note 187 

4. Wrong Use of Song-Notes in Speech 190 

II. Untunable Sounds 191 

III. Relation of Pitch to the Triune Nature 191 

Section I. — Degree of Pitch 191 

I. Compass of the Speaking-Voice 192 

II. Scale of Limitations and Range of Pitch 194 

1. Explanation of the Scale 194 

III. Illustrative Selections 196 

IV. Vocal Culture in Degrees of Pitch 202 

Section II. — Change of Pitch 203 

I. Concrete 205 

1. Rising Concrete 206 

(1) Law of Use 206 

(2) Illustrative Cases 206 

2. Falling Concrete 215 

(1) Law of Use 215 

(2) Illustrative Cases 215 

3. Reciprocal Use of Rising and Falling Concretes 223 

(1) Illustrative Cases 224 

4. Waving Concrete. — The Wave 228 

(1) Kinds of Waves 228 

(2) Law of Use and Illustrations 231 

5. Intervals of the Concrete 236 

(1) The Semitone 237 

(2) The Second 239 

(3) The Third 240 

(4) The Fifth 242 

(5) The Octave 244 

6. Vocal Exercises in Rising, Falling and Waving Con- 

cretes 246 

II. Discrete 24S 

1. Comparison with Concrete 248 

2. Classes of Discrete 249 

3. Intervals of Discrete 249 



45 8 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Page 

4. Illustrations of Discrete Changes 249 

5. Vocal Culture of Discrete 252 

Section III. — Melody 253 

I. Current Melody 255 

1. The Monotone 256 

2. The Ditone 257 

3. The Tritone 259 

4. The Polytone 261 

5. Use of Phrases of Melody 263 

6. Broken Melody 263 

7. Chromatic Melody 265 

II. Cadence 267 

1. The Monad 268 

2. The Duad 269 

3. The Triad 270 

4. The Tetrad 271 

5. The Pentad 272 

6. Law of Use of Cadence 272 

7. Defects in Cadence 274 

8. Sentences Illustrating Cadence 274 

III. Exercises in Writing Melody 275 

IV. Vocal Culture of Melody 278 



Chapter IV. — TIME 280 

I. Definition and Divisions 280 

II. Adaptation to the Triune Nature 280 

Section I. — Quantity 281 

I. Intrinsic Time-Value of Sounds 281 

1. Stopt Sounds 282 

2. Continuant Sounds 282 

II. Intrinsic Time- Value of Syllables 283 

1. Indefinite Syllables 283 

2. Mutable Syllables 283 

3. Immutable Syllables 284 



OUTLINE. 459 

Page 

III. Quantity as a Vocal Element 284 

IV. Analogy between Form, Quantity and Intrinsic 

Time- Values 285 

1. Long Quantity 286 

(1) Use in Expression 286 

(2) Illustrative Selections 287 

2. Medium Quantity 288 

(1) Use in Expression 288 

(2) Illustrative Selections 288 

3. Short Quantity 290 

(1) Use in Expression 290 

(2) Illustrative Selections 290 

V. Vocal Culture of Quantity 291 

Section II. — Pause 292 

I. Physical Necessity 293 

II. Mental Requirements 293 

III. Law of Use 294 

IV. Explanation and Illustrations 296 

1. Before 296 

2. Between 299 

3. After 300 

4. Before and After 302 

5. Selections for Phrasing 304 

Section III. — Movement 307 

I. Rhythm 307 

r. Poetic Rhythm 311 

(1) Dissyllabic and Tryssyllabic Feet 312 

(2) Scansion and Poetic Rhythm Compared 316 

2. Prose Rhythm 317 

3. Scored Illustrations 3iS 

4. Selections for Scoring 320 

II. Rate 321 

1. Scale of Comparative Rates 322 

2. Scale of Limitations 323 



460 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Page 

3. Relation to Pause 325 

4. General Suggestions 325 

5. Illustrative Selections 326 

6. Selection for Original Study in Rate 332 



PART III. — THE ELEMENTS OF ACTION. 
INTRODUCTION '. 335 

I. Importance of the Subject 335 

II. Conception of Action 336 

1. Impulse to Gesture 337 

2. Suppression of Self 337 

3. Limits of Personation 338 

(1) First Limitation 338 

(2) Second Limitation 340 

(3) Third Limitation 341 

(4) Fourth Limitation 342 

4. Action for Figurative Language 344 

III. Requisites of Action 344 

1. Grace of Gesture 345 

2. Force of Gesture 345 

3. Precision of Gesture 345 

(1) Preparation 346 

(2) Sweep 346 

(3) Stroke * 346 

(4) Transition 347 

(5) Return 347 

4. Sequence of Gesture 347 

5. Economy of Gesture 34S 

Chapter I. — CULTIVATION OF THE BODY 349 

Section I. — Physical Education 349 

I. Health, Endurance and Symmetry of Form 350 

II. Muscular Control and Grace of Movement 350 



OUTLINE. 461 

Page 
Section II. — /Esthetic Physical Culture 351 

I. Relaxation 351 

1. Centers and Radii of Motion 352 

2. Relaxing Exercises 353 

(1) For the Hands and Arms 353 

(2) For the Feet and Legs 353 

(3) For the Head, Neck and Torso 354 

II. VlTALIZATION 354 

1. Vitalizing Exercises 354 

(1) For the Head, Neck and Torso 354 

(2) For the Feet and Legs 355 

(3) For the Hands and Arms 356 

Chapter II. — PRINCIPLES OF ACTION 362 

Section I. — Zones, Positions and Attitudes of the Body 363 
I. The Head 364 

1. The Brain 364 

(1) The Cerebrum 364 

(2) The Cerebellum 365 

(3) The Medulla Oblongata 365 

2. The Face 365 

(1) The Forehead * 367 

(2) The Eyes 368 

(3) The Nose and Cheeks 370 

(4) The Mouth .• 370 

(5) The Chin and Lower Jaw 371 

II. The Torso 372 

1. The Upper Torso 373 

2. The Middle Torso 373 

3. The Lower Torso 373 

III. The Limbs 374 

1. The Arms 374 

(1) The Hand — its Positions and Attitudes 374 

a. Index 376 

b. Supine 377 



462 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Page 

c. Prone 378 

d. Reflex 379 

e. Clasped 380 

f. Averse 380 

g. Clenched 381 

(2) The Wrist 383 

(3) The Forearm 383 

(4) The Elbow 384 

(5) The Upper Arm 384 

(6) The Shoulder 385 

2. The Legs 386 

(1) Zonal Correspondences 386 

(2) Positions and Attitudes of the Lower Limbs.... 387 

a. First Position 388 

b. First Attitude 389 

c. Second Position 389 

d. Second Attitude 390 

e. Third Position 391 

/ Third Attitude 392 

g. Fourth Position 394 

h. Fourth Attitude 394 

i. Fifth Position 397 

/. Fifth Attitude 398 

IV. Tabular View of Zonal Correspondences 399 

Section II. ■*- Inflections of the Body 400 

I. Planes of Gesture 400 

1. Plane of Equality 401 

2. Plane of the Superior 402 

3. Plane of the Inferior 402 

II. Direction of Gesture 402 

1. Eccentric 403 

2. Concentric 4°3 

3. Poised 403 

III. Extension and Distance of Gesture 404 

IV. Practical Conclusions 405 



OUTLINE. 463 

Page 

Chapter III. — TECHNIQUE OF ACTION 408 

Section I. — Positions 408 

1 [ON II. — Attitudes 410 

Section III. — Gestures 412 

T. Exercises 412 

II. Application to Sentences 413 

SECTION IV. — Selections for Analysis 416 

APPENDIX. — ORATORY. 
INTRODUCTION 421 

I. Definition 421 

II. Divisions of the Subject 421 

1. First Question 421 

2. Second Question 422 

3. Third Question 422 

4. Criticism 423 

5. Ancient Rhetorical Works 423 

6. Modern Text-Books 424 

7. College Training 426 

8. Professional Training 426 

9. Practice 426 

III. Classification of Professions 427 

1. The Ministry 427 

2. Law and Science 427 

3. Teaching 428 

4. Acting 429 

IV. Classification of Nations 429 

1. The French 429 

2. The Germans 430 

3. The English 430 

4. The Americans. 430 






Chapter I. — ART 431 

I. Definition 431 

1. Illustrations 431 



464 PRACTICAL ELOCUTION. 

Page 

II. Difficulties of Art 432 

1. Reasons why Art is difficult 433 

III. Objections to Art 433 

1. Answers to Objections 435 

IV. Cultivation of Art 435 

V. Art as Adaptation 435 

1. Conflict between Ideal Form and Adaptation 436 

2. Source of Adaptation 436 

3. Illustrations of Adaptation 436 

4. Undue Adaptation 438 

Chapter II. — TRUTH 440 

I. Value of Truth 440 

1. Illustration 441 

II. Mastery of Truth 442 

1. First Condition 442 

2. Second Condition 442 

3. Third Condition 445 

4. Summary 445 

Chapter III. — PERSONALITY 447 

I. Character Essential 447 

1. Illustration 448 

CONCLUSION 450 



ADVERTISEMENTS 



HIGHER ENGLISH. 



17 



Choice Readings from Popular and Standard 

Authors. 

Compiled and arranged by Robert I. Fulton, A.M., Professor of 
Elocution and Oratory in the Ohio Wesleyan University, and Thomas C. 
Trueblood, A.M., Professor of Elocution and Oratory in the Univer- 
sity of Michigan. 12mo. 729 pages. By mail, $1.65; for introduction, 
$1.50. Presentation edition, stamped cover, full gilt, fine paper, 
$4.00 retail. F * 

TTS distinctive feature is the number, variety, and interest of the 
pieces, classified according to their character, and covering the 
entire range of available selections. Indexes are given to the best 
scenes from all the plays of Shakespeare, 139 choice readings from 
the Bible, and 159 hymns, — all classified. A complete diagram 
of the principles of vocal expression is added. 



J. W. Churchill, Prof, of Elocu- 
tion, Theological Seminary, An- 
dover, Mass. : The excellent purpose 
of the authors has been very success- 
fully accomplished, both in the ex- 
pository and illustrative material. 

H. M. Ticknor, Prof, of Elocution, 
Boston : I approve heartily of Fulton 
and Trueblood 's book of selections. 



B. C. Burt, formerly Asst.-Prof. 
of English, and Rhetoric, Michigan 
University: I do not know that I 
have ever seen anything better of its 
kind. In its 700 pages is stowed 
away, neatly and compactly, a large 
amount of good reading, — good not 
only for elocutionary, but also for 
literary purposes. 



Chart Illustrating the Principles of Vocal Ex- 

pression. 

By Robert I. Fulton, A.M., and Thomas C. Trueblood, A.M. 
Printed on extra tough paper, 36 X 60 inches, bound on the edges, and 
mounted. Retail price, $2.00. Special introduction terms on application. 



Richard Parsons. Prof, of Greek, 
Ohio Wesleyan University : It is re- 
markably clear, full, and suggestive. 
Asa guide to the possibilities of vocal 
delivery it is simply incomparable. 



G. L. Raymond, Prof, of Oratory, 
and ^Esthetic Criticism, College of 
New Jersey, Princeton, N.J. : It is 
the best thing of the kind that I have 
ever seen. 



The College Critic's Tablet. 



By Robert I. Fulton and Thomas C. Trueblood. For use in 
Literary Societies, Lyceums, and Classes in English, Elocution, and 
Oratory. 4to. 174 pages. Tablet form. Mailing price, 70 cents; for 
introduction, 60 cents. 

James "W. Bashf ord, Pres. Ohio I will prove fruitful of suggestions and 
Wesleyan University : The Tablet | frugal of time to every college critic. 



18 



HIGHER ENGLISH. 



Practical Elements of Elocution. 

Designed as a text-book for the guidance of teachers and students of 
expression. By Robert I. Fulton, Professor of Elocution and Oratory 
in the Ohio Wesleyan University, and Thomas C. Trueblood, Profes- 
sor of Elocution and Oratory in the University of Michigan. With an 
Appendix on Truth, Personality, and Art in Oratory, by James W. 
Bashford, President of the Ohio Wesleyan University. 12mo. Cloth, 
x + 464 pages. Retail price, $1.50 ; special terms for introduction. 

rPHE Practical Elocution is the outgrowth of the class-room as 
well as the study. It contains the latest and best thought on 
the subject, combining, as it does, the valuable features of the 
time-honored Rush Philosophy of Voice with the Delsarte Philoso- 
phy of Action. The authors have not disregarded the traditional 
principles of Elocution ; nor have they followed blindly the ideas 
of the new school of Delsarte, some of whose followers, the authors 
believe, have swung too far to the other extreme, — the actional 
side of elocution, — and have not furnished principles sufficient as 
a basis for vocal elocution. 



Moses True Brown, Principal of 
the Boston School of Oratory : The 
book is thoroughly scientific, clear 
in statement, catholic in spirit, and 
excellent in illustration. In a word, 
it is an epoch-making book in all 
elocutionary directions. I shall find 
a place for it in my school. 

George L. Raymond, Professor 
of Oratory and J&sthetic Criticism, 
College of New Jersey: It strikes 
me as a very successful attempt to 
unite, as has not been done before, 
the methods of Rush and Delsarte. 



Mrs. Laura J. Tisdale, Director 
of School of Oratory and Dramatic 
Art, Chicago Musical College : The 
subject is broadly and vigorously 
treated. 

R. G-. Hibbard, Instructor in Elo- 
cution, Wesleyan University, Middle- 
town, Ct. : A model of systematic 
arrangement and fully up with the 
times. 

E. L. Barbour, Instructor in Elo- 
cution, Rutgers College, New Bruns- 
wick, N.J. : It is the most complete 
theoretical and practical work on 
elocution published. 



Public Speaking and Debate. 

A Manual for Advocates and Agitators. 

By George Jacob Ho:lyoake. 12mo. Cloth, viii + 266 pages. Mail- 
ing price, $1.10; for introduction, $1.00. 

HHHIS work is founded on the author's observation of public, 
Parliamentary, and pulpit oratory and platform experience 
of more than forty years. It includes not only the maxims, but 
the Ethics of Debate. The sayings of the great masters of the 
art of persuading the minds of men illustrate every page. 



r* 3-z^> 






